


In another life, I would still find you, my love

by sasha272



Category: Tomb Raider (Video Games)
Genre: A Bit of Fluff, F/F, Happy Ending, Nothing can keep them apart, a bit of angst, they're gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-04-06 23:36:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 31,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14068056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sasha272/pseuds/sasha272
Summary: A dig in India took an unexpected turn when Sam and Lara touched some magic stones...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimers: I don’t own Tomb Raider or anything related to it, if I did Lara would be gay and married to Sam.
> 
> A/N: Written for SS Endurance Week 2018: Time Travel.  
> I haven’t watched Grey’s anatomy in forever because I couldn’t get behind the new crew and every plot just feel re-used to excess but I do enjoy gifs of Camilla in scrubs so I came up with an idea related to Time/Space travel where Sam and Lara ended in an alternate timeline. There is also a bit of inappropriate flirting.  
> Sam and Lara found their way back to each other after all the mess, moved into the Manor and got married. 
> 
> This year we are writing to promote the Save Our Sam group, which is fighting to bring Sam back in Lara’s life. Check us on Twitter (@BringSamNback), Tumblr (savesamnishimura.tumblr.com) or site (savesamnishimura.mywebcommunity.org).

Sam was sitting at the fire camp, looking lovingly at Lara who was in deep conversation with Jonah about the best way to get down into the cave.

They were in India, looking for the ancient city of Kusasthali or at least, what was left of it. Sam heard Lara laugh at one of Jonah's jokes and was suddenly reminded of how far they had come since Yamatai.

After Lara set her free from Himiko, Sam had almost lost her best friend again but she fought for her and after a while, Lara finally let her in. It hadn't been easy but after some time and some healing, they were able to move forward, not only with their lives, but with their relationship too. They defeated Trinity and several threats after that. Now she was married to her nerdy best friend and she couldn't be happier. They still bore the scars of the past and probably always would but they were lucky enough to have each other.

Lara was still reluctant to let her wife come on expeditions with her, so for the sake of their marriage, they had come to an agreement. Sam would accompany Lara on basic digs and slightly dangerous adventures but would stay home and work on another documentary when there was a high risk of getting caught in a crossfire. They were Crofts after all; trouble had a bad habit of following them. Communication and compromise, Sam had learned, were the keys to a happy union.

This time though, their expedition was supposed to be mercenary free. Lara had discovered an old parchment recounting the story of King Revaita, who travelled to another world to meet the creator Brahma. When the King returned to Earth, many years had passed. The legend said that although his kingdom had been destroyed, the artefact Revaita used to travel to another universe was still buried under the ruins and that was what they were looking for.

Lara's voice broke Sam out of her reverie. "We are all set, love. Jonah is going to stay here in case he has to haul us up. I'll go first and make sure it's safe, then only when I give you the green light, you'll join me." The English woman explained.

Sam stood up and saluted her. "Aye Aye captain."

Lara shook her head with a fond smile. "I'm serious."

"Sweetie, it's been years, I know the drill."

"I just want to make sure you are safe." The English woman stated.

"You're cute, are you single?" Sam smiled cheekily, wrapping her arms around her wife's neck.

Lara chuckled. "I am very much married actually."

"Does she make you happy?" Sam questioned, playing along.

"She does. In fact, I don't think I tell her enough." Lara squeezed Sam's waist gently, trying to convey her feelings.

Sam kissed Lara's cheek softly before breaking the embrace. "I'm sure she knows."

"Good." Lara reached behind her neck and unhooked her necklace. As she lifted her hand to remove her wedding band, Sam stopped her.

"Let me…" Sam grabbed her wife's hand and kissed the ring before taking it off and letting it slide around the necklace, next to the jade pendant. She took a step closer and hooked it back around Lara's neck. "Here." Sam had already put hers around the chain she was wearing but she knew it was part of their ritual, just Lara and her, in their bubble, for a couple of minutes, enjoying the calm before the storm.

"I love you." Lara kissed her wife softly.

"I love you too." Sam breathed out when she pulled away.

"Are you ready, lovebirds?" Jonah asked as he approached them.

"Yes, let's go find Lara's new toy!" Sam exclaimed happily, grabbing her camera to record Lara's descent into the cave.

* * *

 

Sam and Lara had been walking around in circles for what felt like hours. It was like the cave was nothing but a series of tunnels that led nowhere. They reached another dead end and decided to take a break.

"Are you sure it's the right place?" Sam inquired, setting her bag down before sitting on a rock to rest her tired legs.

"Yes." Lara answered as she inspected the wall. "There are some inscriptions here."

Sam turned her camera toward her wife. "What does it say?"

"I can't quite decipher everything but…" Lara started reading. "It's about a great King, ruling over a prosperous and advanced kingdom. It says he had a beautiful daughter."

"Sounds like our man." Sam commented.

"Yes…" Lara scratched the wall with her hand to reveal more of the inscription. "The King thought no one upon earth was worthy of his daughter so he decided to ask the creator himself for advice on how to find her the perfect husband."

Sam hummed pensively. "You know, I think you would have that in common with him if we ever have a child."

"A child?" The English woman choked.

"What? Don't look so surprised."

"I… We…" Lara sputtered. "I don't think this is the right time, nor place to have this conversation."

"I was just saying." Sam raised her hand in surrender. "Does it say anything about an artifact?" She stood up and zoomed on at the wall with her camera.

Lara stared at Sam for a few more seconds before focusing back on the inscriptions. "There is something about magic rocks and a shrine…"

"Urgh," Sam groaned. "I'm not really fan of those."

"I know…" Lara reached out and squeezed her wife's shoulder. "That's all I can read, the rest is too altered." She took a step backward and scanned the wall. "I'm pretty sure what we are looking for is behind this wall."

"Okay so, is there a secret button to push or something?"

Lara put her hand on the side of the wall and felt a breeze of air. In one swift motion, she grabbed her ice axe and slammed it into the wall. "Step back."

"Or you can do that." Sam said amused. "I'm pretty sure Professor Arrington would be horrified to see how his former student is treating centuries old foundations."

Lara chuckled. "He would probably have an aneurysm but it's the only way to get in. Besides, what he doesn't know can't hurt him." She kept using her ice axe to create an opening until there was a big enough hole for them to go through.

"Maybe I should keep the tape, you know, if someday you want to forget about me and start a whole new life, I could just show it to him as payback."

The English woman put her axe back on her belt. "I could never forget you and if I ever want to start a new life, you would be part of it, always."

"You're a sap and I love you." Sam smiled before slapping Lara's ass. "Now shimmy your cute butt over there so we can see what's behind."

What they found behind the wall was beautiful. There in front of them, were the ruins of Kusasthali, with paved paths, small houses and monuments, some still half standing while others were just rubble.

"Wow!" Sam breathed out.

"I was right!" Lara looked in awe around them. The place was lit with an unknown soft light and they could hear water running, at the far end of the city.

"You always are," Sam said before adding. "At least regarding archeology, for the rest, you're pretty meh."

"Hey!" Lara shoved her gently but smiled. "There is some sort of temple there." She pointed at a building with symbols painted on it. "We should check it out."

* * *

 

Making their way to the temple required a bit of hiking but after an hour, they finally walked inside the building. Lara and Sam carefully moved further inside the temple until they found a back room. Inside they saw an altar with more inscriptions on the walls.

As they approached the altar, Lara noticed several stones organized in a way to represent a Swastika.

"Look like we found our magic rocks." Sam stepped closer and squinted her eyes to study them. "They're engraved."

Lara read the inscriptions on the wall in front of her. "Each stone is a reflection of the facets of life." She grabbed a stone but frowned when she couldn't recognize the symbol.

"This one looks different, shiny…" Sam pointed at the stone on the top left and took it, showing it to Lara.

As Lara approached hers, a light started to shine and before they could react, an explosion engulfed them.

* * *

 

Sam opened her eyes, slowly trying to regain consciousness as a wave of nausea and disorientation hit her. "Lara…"

"Easy." A woman said to her right. She was small, probably in her early 50's.

As Sam tried to straighten her position, she realized she was lying in a bed, wires attached to her and monitoring her vital signs. She looked around the room, it was clear she was in a hospital and not in a cave anymore. When did that happen? She glanced at herself, she was still in her clothes and not in one of those awful gowns. "Where am I? What happened? Where is Lara? Who…"

The woman at her right, a nurse it seemed, smiled comfortingly. "Take it easy, you were unconscious for a while. What's your name, honey?"

"Hum, Sam, Sam Croft." Sam answered.

"Croft?" The nurse looked surprised.

"Yes? Well, that's my married name, my maiden name is Nishimura." Sam explained, thinking the woman's surprise was due to her British name and her clearly Asian origins. She was used to it by now, she just hoped if that woman was racist, she wasn't homophobic on top of it. With her headache, she was in no mood to deal with that. "Where am I?"

"In a hospital."

"No I know that," Sam rolled her eyes but instantly regretted it as her head started pounding. "But where exactly?"

"London."

"When did we get back from India, and where is my wife?" Sam was starting to panic, nothing made sense, the last thing she remembered was touching the stone and then blank. The machine next to her started beeping, pushing her to focus back on the present.

The nurse pressed a few buttons before gently forcing Sam to lay down. "Sam, I need you to calm down, honey."

"I need to see my wife." Sam stated, if anyone could figure out what happened, it was Lara.

"We didn't find any ID on you or emergency contact; can you tell me her name so I can call her for you?" The nurse squeezed her shoulder in reassurance.

"Lara, Lara Croft."

The nurse's eyebrows went up in surprise. "For real?"

"Mhh yes, why?" Sam was even more confused, she knew they had a bit of notoriety with their documentaries but nothing worth this type of reaction.

"I was wondering when you said Croft earlier but well… We all thought that girl was a lost cause, always focusing on work not pleasure. She never said anything about having a cutie like you as a spouse, though."

"Thank you, I guess…" Okay so maybe the nurse wasn't problematic and was just trying to do her job but how the hell did she know Lara, Sam wondered. "Can you call her?"

"Of course she must be worried sick. I'll page her."

"Page her?" Sam asked but the nurse was already out of the room.

* * *

 

The nurse came back five minutes later. "She should be here soon."

As if on cue, Lara stepped inside the room. "Hey, Jackie, you paged me?"

"Lara! Thank God you're here!" Sam exclaimed in relief. "What is going on? Since when are we back in London?" She frowned when she noticed the white coat and surgical scrubs her wife was wearing. "What are you wearing? Sweetie, I know blue is your color but scrubs, really?"

Lara stared at her blankly "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

Jackie looked at Sam before looking at Lara. "You don't know her?"

"No." Lara answered. "Should I?"

"Ah ah, very funny." Sam deadpanned. "We're married, I think you know me more than a little." A memory of their last conversation flashed in her head. "Wait, is it about the joke I made about showing the tape at Professor Arrington? Am I being punk'd? I have to say I'm impressed, I'd never thought you'd have it in you to pull…"

"This is not a joke." Lara cut her off. "And I'm not married. Who are you?"

Sam squinted her eyes suspiciously. "Who are you?"

"I asked you first." The doctor fired back.

"Okay, you two stop," Jackie interrupted. "I think Ms. Nishimura is just confused."

"I am not confused!" Sam stated frustratingly. "Well yes, a bit, but if there's one thing I know is that, this woman." She pointed a finger at Lara. "Is my wife."

"I don't know you, I mean, no offense, you hum, seem lovely…" Lara blushed. "But I've never seen you before in my life."

Well at least making Lara all flustered hadn't changed, small victory. "I don't know what's going on but all I remember is that we were doing an archaeological expedition in India and we touched some stones and bam, I ended up here."

"I'm sorry but I'm not an archaeologist, I am a doctor," Lara explained. "Yes, my dad used to be one but he's working at the British Museum now, it has nothing to do with me. How do you even know this, did you look me up?" Her tone was aggressive and cold.

"A doctor, what… Wait, your dad is still alive?" Sam asked in astonishment. "What the fuck is going on?"

"Does she have a concussion?" Lara asked the nurse, grabbing her penlight to check Sam's pupils "What is she here for?"

The nurse reached out for Sam's file and handed it to Lara. "An ambulance brought her here unconscious, no ID, no emergency contact."

"Have we run any tests yet?" The doctor questioned, scanning the file.

"Not yet, we had some priority cases." The nurse answered.

Suddenly a man stepped into the room and called. "Croft!"

"Yes?" Sam and Lara answered simultaneously.

The man frowned, his eyes going from Lara to Sam before settling back on Lara. "Hum, we need you in OR2." He glanced at Sam one last time before running toward the hallway.

Sam saw Lara step away from the bed but before she could go further, she grabbed her wrist. "Please don't leave."

Lara saw the panic flash in her patient's eyes and softened. "I will come back and we'll try to figure out what happened to you, okay? I promise." She squeezed Sam's shoulder gently.

At the touch, Sam relaxed and let out a sigh of relief. "Okay…"

After Jackie left the room, Sam was left alone with her thoughts. She was back in London and had no idea how or why but the worst part was that Lara didn't seem to remember her at all. How could she be a doctor and oh God… Lara's parents were still alive, what… "The stones!" It made sense now, whatever happened to her and Lara, it was linked to the stones. Did it wipe Lara's memory? How much had changed? How long was she out? She had so many questions but none of them could be answered from a hospital bed, she had to leave. She tumbled out of bed and moved toward the dresser where her belongings seemed to be. There was no phone, no wallet, or even stones, just her camera and her chain with her wedding band and engagement ring. Sam sighed in relief, she couldn't imagine Lara's reaction, at least, once she had her memory back, if she had told her she had lost her mother's ring. She put the chain back around her neck and placed the camera in her jacket pocket. Now she needed to sneak out of the room without getting noticed.

* * *

 

It wasn't so hard to get out of the hospital but it was only when she was in the parking lot that Sam realized she had no car, no money and no phone to call anyone. "Fuck me…" She scanned her surroundings; she was at the University College Hospital. She took a few steps and sat on a bench. Why would Lara think her dad was still alive? These stones must have messed up her mind pretty bad... She needed to know more. She grabbed her camera and tried to turn it on without success. The battery must be dead after what happened. "Great." Sam didn't know how long she sat there, staring at the black screen on her camera but suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and startled.

"Sorry." Lara sat next to her. "I thought you were gone."

"Yeah well, it turns out it's hard to flee when you don't have money, or a phone, or even a car…"

"You should go back inside." Lara advised gently. "I know I was cold to you earlier but I want to help, I could run some tests and…"

"I just want to go home." Sam answered almost like a plea.

"Do you know where you live?"

Sam nodded. "I do, but after what I've seen so far, I'm kind of scared to see if it's still the case…"

"I understand it must be scary but your amnesia might not be permanent." The English woman reassured.

"I'm not the one suffering from amnesia!" Sam said in an outburst.

"I'm sorry." Lara pinched her lips together in a thin line, as if fighting another comment.

Sam chuckled dejectedly. "What are you sorry for?"

Lara shrugged. "I don't know."

Sam smiled sadly at her answer, it was her Lara, there was no doubt about that. "I am not crazy. I've been there, I would know, not that it helps my case to tell you that but still."

"Have you tried to call your wife?" Lara offered.

Sam laughed despite herself. "She's standing right here, why would I?"

"I'm sorry, I might look like your wife but I am not her."

"How can I convince you?" Sam straightened her position on the bench. If she could convince Lara that they knew each other, maybe it would bring back some memories.

Lara frowned in confusion. "I'm sorry what?"

"Let's make a deal. Ask me questions about yourself that only a lover could answer and if I'm right, you stop calling me crazy and help me figure out what's going on."

"And if you're wrong?" The English woman raised an eyebrow.

"You can throw me in a nut house and you'll never have to deal with me again." Sam replied without missing a beat.

"I would never do that!" Lara declared appalled.

"Do we have a deal?"

"You're infuriating; has anyone ever told you that before?" The English woman tried to look serious but she had the hint of a smile on her lips.

"Yes, my wife, all the time, so?" Sam chuckled before offering her hand.

Lara sighed tiredly. "Fine," She shook her hand.

"What's your first question?"

"Hum," Lara looked deep in thought for almost a minute. "What's my favorite color?"

"Seriously, that's what you're asking me?" Sam looked at her in disbelief. "That's something a regular friend could answer, or even one of your colleagues if they bother to say more than hello."

"Well…" Lara glanced at her lap sheepishly. "I don't have a lot of friends; I tend to be awkward in social gatherings."

"You are the cutest." Sam gushed despite herself. How could this woman not be her Lara, it was impossible, they broke the mold when they made her.

Lara turned bright red. "Thanks, I think…"

"Let's make it easier, I'm gonna tell you things I know about you. You were born on February 14th, first and only child of Richard and Amelia Croft, sure you can say I googled it but what about this, you were named after the god Ra. I hope this part is still true…" Sam continued. "But you have a thing for Jaffa Cakes and when you were a kid, you used to play with two knights, well, it was more some suits of armor but, they were named Sir Lancelot and Sir Reginald and you kept stealing Reginald's helmet. I wish I could have seen that…"

"I… How?"

"I'm not done," Sam raised her hand to halt her words. "You had a plushy dinosaur as a blankie, you also have a birthmark on the side of your hip, you hate dresses and hum, what else? The name of your father's best friend is Roth. Am I right so far?"

"Yes, I don't understand how but…" Lara trailed off. "Wait, how can you know about Roth? He was lost at sea when I was a child, I barely remember him."

"I told you I know you. Some things are different and I don't know why but… Was Roth looking for Yamatai?" If Sam never met Lara, then Lara never searched for Yamatai and Roth never died saving her, and yet, he still disappeared. It didn't make any sense. Were the stones responsible for this? Weren't they supposed to lead them to some kind of heaven to see a God? Right now it looked more like hell.

"Yama-what?" Lara repeated confused. "I don't know, I could ask my parents but why does it matter? This is all in the past now. Dad donated the suits to a museum. He never regretted his choice to put my mother first but I think they reminded him too much of his former job. And the little girl who used to play with armor? She grew up, went to Medical School and had to find a real job because her father didn't want her to run after fairytales…" Her eyes went wide as she realized everything she had just shared. "I don't even know why I'm telling you that, it's like I can't stop."

"So your parents are alive?" Sam asked tentatively, trying to make sure.

"That's the second time you've asked me that," Lara snapped. "Is there a problem?"

"No, it's… never mind…" Sam didn't want to upset Lara by telling her that her parents were supposed to be dead. She couldn't understand what was going on herself, how could she even try to explain it to Lara? One thing was for sure, touching the stone had changed Lara's past, she didn't know how, or why, but she had to figure it out if she wanted her life back. She looked at the sky, the sun was setting. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Lara fidgeting. She knew her wife couldn't remember and she didn't want to force her to stay. "You should go home, you must be tired."

"What about you?"

"I have nowhere to go." If Lara's parents were still alive, Sam couldn't really show up at the Manor as if it was her home.

"Come to my place." Lara seemed as surprised as Sam when the words came out of her mouth.

Sam arched an eyebrow, she wasn't expecting that. "You'd invite a stranger to your place?"

"Seeing what you know about me, I would not call you a stranger." Lara pointed out. "And we had a deal…"

"But you don't know me?"

"I don't…" Lara agreed. "But there is something special about you, I don't know what it is but my instincts are telling me to trust you, and they're never wrong…"

* * *

 

Lara was living in a loft, about 30 minutes from the Hospital. "I'm sorry I don't spend a lot of time here and hum, I've never had a guest before except for my parents…" Lara said as they stepped inside the flat.

The place was nice but it felt soulless without centuries-old books and relics. Instead, the shelves were full of medical books and a couple of picture frames of Lara with her parents.

"Don't worry, it's a lot bigger than what we used to live in in Uni…" Sam reassured as Lara took her jacket and put it on the coatrack before moving to the living room.

"You went to Uni with your wife?"

Sam sighed, clearly Lara was still talking as if her wife and her were two different people. "You still don't believe me, do you?"

"I don't know what to tell you..." Lara looked at her helplessly. "I am a woman of science and…"

"The logical answer to my problem is that I'm crazy, right?" Sam finished for her.

"Sam, I've never said that."

"You don't have to," Sam shook her head sadly. "You've never been good at lying to me."

"I…"

Sam felt like crying, Lara had been her person for so many years, she was the one she could share everything with, she was her best friend. But who could you turn to when it was your best friend who was breaking your heart? Kaz and Jonah weren't there either, it was just her and the empty shell of her wife. She sniffled but tried to hide it by looking for her camera in her jacket. She swiftly wiped her eyes before forcing a smile, her camera in hand. "Do you have a place to charge this?"

"Oh Sam…" Lara approached her and reached out tentatively.

"Don't…" Sam lifted her hand. "If you touch me I'm gonna start crying because I always feel safe in your arms and if I start crying right now, I don't know if I'll be able to stop, so please, don't…"

"Okay, just…" Lara scratched her neck nervously. "Just give me your camera and sit on the couch. I'll be right back."

As Lara left the room, Sam heard Lara curse herself "so bloody stupid..." and fought another wave of tears. When she came back, Lara sat on the far end of the couch, clearly trying to give Sam enough space while still showing her support. She cleared her throat. "Why don't you tell me more about you?"

Sam smiled lightly, she could see Lara was trying and wondered if it was her instincts telling her to. "My name is Samantha Croft, Sam, well hum, Nishimura if it's…"

"It's okay." Lara smiled encouragingly.

"I'm an American with Japanese origins from my dad and Portuguese from my mom. I was a rebellious child, trying to get my parents' attention while they were busy with their careers."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's water under the bridge really, we are fine now. So then it was time for college and I ended up at UCL where I met you." Sam paused for a moment. "Now that I think about it, if my relationship with my parents had been different, I would never have met you, so, I'm okay with how things went."

"What happened next?"

"We finished Uni."

"Were you dating your wif…" Lara stopped herself. "I mean…"

"No, the feelings were already there but we were too stupid to do something about it." Sam chuckled. "Then came Yamatai…"

"You've mentioned that before." Lara looked intrigued. "What is it?"

"It's an island, lost in the Dragon triangle…" Sam trailed off, trying to come up with the right words. "My ancestors were from there so you, or well, my Lara, decided to look into it. Should have been my first clue you were into me." She joked. "We went on an expedition to find it and let just say things didn't go as planned…"

"What happened?"

"Do you have a straitjacket here?" Sam questioned half-serious. "Because if you think I'm crazy now, you're gonna think I'm totally insane after hearing this."

"Come on," Lara chuckled. "Give me some credit."

"Roth was with us, we sailed on his boat, the Endurance …"

"I remember that name. They've mentioned it on the news when he disappeared..."

"Trust me, I didn't hear it there, I was in the front row. There was a storm and the ship sank." Sam looked into the distance, as if fighting the memories. Even after so many years, some things weren't easy to remember. "Our group got separated. I got kidnapped by cultists who worshipped a deity called Queen Himiko but you saved me."

"How? I thought I was an archaeologist. Aren't you supposed to do boring digs with a brush in the desert?" Lara kept firing questions.

Sam laughed. "You are not like them, you're some kind of GI Jane of archeology, if you know, GI Jane had a magnet for trouble."

"I've never been in trouble in my whole life," Lara declared. "Not even a speeding ticket."

"Oh neither did Lara, that's more of my thing," Sam admitted. "Apparently she thinks I drive like a maniac and should be stopped but I think she's being a bit dramatic about it." She finished in a low tone, as if it was a secret.

Lara chuckled. "Just to be safe, don't touch my car please."

Sam threw a pillow at her before turning serious again. "It wasn't easy, and we lost friends, Roth… but we made it out alive. I'm not sure I know how to describe what happened after that except, shit went downhill… Things happened to me, to you and we drifted apart. We found our way back to each other though, like always and we got together, I moved into the manor, we got married…" She smiled to herself as she remembered their wedding.

"We live in the Manor? Oh god, with my parents?" Lara made a face. "Don't get me wrong, I love them and the Manor is big enough not to see each other but no…" She shook her head at the thought.

"I…" Sam couldn't tell her, she couldn't just say 'your parents died when you were young and Roth took care of you'. "Can I ask you a question?" Sam changed the subject.

"Of course."

"Are you happy?"

"I… I have never asked myself that question. I think so. I have a roof over my head, enough money to pay the bills, my parents are alive and healthy and I'm doing a job where I can help people." Lara shrugged. "I can't really complain…"

Sam bit her lip as she felt the tears bubbling up in her eyes. Lara was happy without her. She felt bad for even thinking like that but she felt like someone had punched her in the heart. "That's great."

Lara frowned as she noticed Sam's distress. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No." Sam shook her head before taking a shaky breath. "I'm happy for you." She stood up abruptly. "I think we should go to bed, it's late."

"You didn't even eat." Lara's frown deepened.

"I'm not hungry. Do you have a guest room?" Sam asked.

"Second door on the left, there is an ensuite bathroom. I can lend you some clothes if you want…"

"I'm gonna take a shower first." Sam answered without making eye contact, her body already turned toward the hallway.

Lara nodded even though Sam couldn't see her. "I'll put them on the bed for you."

"Thank you, goodnight." Sam rushed into the guest room and waited until she got into the shower to break down in tears. When she stepped out of the bathroom, she found Lara's clothes on the bed. She put them on and it didn't take long for the tears to start falling again as she was suddenly surrounded by Lara's scent. That night, she cried herself to sleep, hoping whatever nightmare they were in would be over in the morning.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Follow us on Twitter (@BringSamNback) and Tumblr (savesamnishimura), we've almost reached the 100!
> 
> Buckle up for more angst and a bit of fluff! Reviews make my day =)

The next day, Sam woke up cold and reached to the side to pull Lara closer only for her hand to touch a pillow. She cracked an eye open, Lara wasn't there. She opened both of her eyes and realized with sadness that she wasn't in the master room in the Manor, but in the guest room she had fallen asleep the night before. She grabbed her pillow and screamed in frustration into it. It wasn't a dream, she was still in this kind of twilight zone. She needed answers and fast. Where could she start? Her camera! She needed to watch what happened.

She got out of bed and carefully stepped into the hallway. "Lara?" She was met by silence. She walked toward the kitchen, thinking Lara could be having breakfast but instead she saw a note on the counter with a phone and a couple of hundred pounds. This woman was so sweet. Any sane person would have called the police on her, stating she was crazy, but not Lara. Maybe she could feel their connection…

Sam looked at the note. ' _Sam, I hope you are feeling better. I apologize if my words caused you any pain, it was not my intention... I wish I was here to make you breakfast as a proper apology but I had an emergency. Please help yourself if you are hungry. You can also look in my closet for clothes or buy some more to your liking with the money I left you. All I'm asking in exchange is for you to meet me at the hospital so I can run some tests, just to be sure. I found my old mobile, my number is in it. Let me know… PS: your camera is on the coffee table. Lara._ '

"Oh Lara…" Sam breathed out. "You precious bean…" She skipped into the living room and took her camera before coming back into the kitchen. She set it back on the counter and looked around for some coffee, without success. "Of course your tea-snobbish ass wouldn't have any coffee if I'm not here." She sighed and grabbed an apple from the fruit basket, biting into it. She reached for the camera and took a deep breath, sending a silent prayer that it was still working. She turned it on and to her relief, the screen came to life. She quickly pressed play on the last recording and watched it. She paused on the inscriptions written on the wall. She needed to print screenshots and try to translate them. She doubted Lara could help her so she would have to go to the library. She looked at the time, it was 8 AM. She grabbed the phone and opened a new text message for Lara. "When are you done with your shift?" She left the phone on the counter and went to Lara's room. Sam hesitated in front of the door, was it a breach of privacy to go in? Sure they were married but it seemed like they had ended up in a parallel universe where Lara had no memory of her… If Lara had something to hide, she wouldn't have given her the green light to look in her closet. She opened the door and glanced around the room. The bed was made and there were reading glasses on top of a book on the nightstand. What caught her attention though, was the Japanese painting on the wall. It was a woman in traditional clothes, standing on her balcony to watch the sunset. It felt out of place in the overly pristine decor and yet… She would have to ask Lara about it. Lara's wardrobe was pretty much the same, jeans and t-shirts, except sneakers were replacing the boots. She grabbed a black V-neck shirt before going to her room to take a shower. She could buy clothes and coffee on her way to the hospital.

When she was ready, Sam checked her phone and saw Lara had texted her back. "At 6."

"I see you are still a woman of a few words, sweetie." Sam chuckled and typed her answer, asking when she should meet her at the hospital. She knew she wasn't sick or crazy, but if a few tests could convince Lara then so be it. Her phone rang. "Hello?"

"Good morning, Sam, it's me. I mean, it's me Lara… Croft, Lara Croft, hi."

Sam giggled, Lara tended to stammer when she was really nervous, which was something she had always found cute. She didn't know why she was so nervous to talk to her but she decided it was a good thing. "I know sweetie, I saw your name on the caller ID, besides, it's your phone so…"

"Oh, hum, yes, sorry. Anyway, how are you?"

"As fine as you can be in my situation, I guess." Sam answered. "At what time do you want me to meet you so you can make sure I'm not cray cray and start believing me?"

"Sam, please…"

"I know..." Sam sighed tiredly. "Just tell me when?"

"Is 4 PM alright with you?"

"Okay. I'll see you there. Bye." Sam hung up and looked at the time. It was 9 AM, she had to hurry if she wanted a chance to shop before going to the library. She quickly gathered her things as she called a cab; there was no way she was taking the tube to go there.

* * *

 

Sam had been in the library for 3 hours now and she had barely deciphered a few words. She had printed some screenshots from her videos and was trying to translate the inscription written behind the altar as a priority. She had found the words journey, soul and safe passage but nothing else seemed to make sense. She sighed in frustration, letting her head bang against the table. She raised her head up and looked at the time. She had to leave if she didn't want to be late to meet Lara. She shoved her research and a couple of books into the messenger bag she had bought and grabbed her shopping bags.

Once she arrived at the hospital, Sam found Lara scribbling in a file at the reception desk. "Hey, sweetie."

"Hi." Lara's eyes instantly fell on the shopping bags in Sam's hands. She raised an eyebrow. "How many clothes did you buy exactly?"

"Not enough if you ask me but I was on a budget." Sam answered almost dramatically.

Lara frowned as if she couldn't understand how the money she gave Sam wasn't enough to buy more than a couple pieces of clothes. "But I gave you more than enough to…"

"Sweetie, you're loaded, I don't think it matters."

"Shhhh," Lara stepped closer and put her hand over Sam's mouth, glancing around to see if anyone had heard. "I don't want people to know. Who told you?" She asked in a whisper.

Sam removed the hand over a mouth and looked at Lara pointedly. "Seriously?"

"Yes, sorry," Lara shook her head. "I keep forgetting..."

"My name is money too in case you worry I'm a gold digger." Sam rolled her eyes, what was it with Lara and not spending her money. "Besides, we're married, what's yours is mine and vice versa."

"Except technically, we are not? May I remind you that until yesterday, you were a complete stranger to me."

"Way to rain on a girl's parade, Countess." Sam teased.

"Sorry, I just…" Lara's eyes widened. "You know about that too?"

Sam laughed. "Yes, just like I know you love it when I scratch your back during sex." She said just as the nurse she had seen the day before walked toward them. She knew she wasn't playing fair but her unsuccessful research had left her frustrated and Lara was just too easy to fluster. She needed the familiarity, even if Lara couldn't remember.

Lara forced a laugh as the nurse stopped in front of them. "She is joking, just joking, we are not…"

"Hey Jackie!" Sam smiled brightly.

"Hello sweetheart, how are you today?" Jackie greeted warmly.

"Good, I'm back to run some tests but I'm pretty sure it's just an excuse for Lara to play doctor." Sam winked exuberantly.

Jackie laughed and turned to Lara who was bright red. "I love this girl, where were you hiding her?"

"In the closet!" Sam answered before giggling.

"Oh my god," Lara grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her toward an exam room. "Just get in the room and keep your mouth shut."

Lara ran quite a few tests but they all came back negative. Sam was in perfect health. "I don't understand." The English woman stared at the results perplexed.

"See, told you. I've been a good girl; can I have a lollipop now, Dr. Croft?" Sam flirted.

"No!" Lara exclaimed, the tip of her ears red.

"But I'm hungry, I can be really whiny and annoying when I'm hungry, you should know that."

"You mean more annoying than you are the rest of the time?"

"Oooohhhhh good burn, good burn." Sam chuckled, taking no offense in Lara's words. "I'm glad to see your snobbish proper ass can still manage those."

Lara looked at her with an annoyed frown on her face. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you seem to be the poster child of the perfect little aristocratic daughter," Sam declared. "The daddy's girl who does as she's asked."

"I am not!" Lara exclaimed offended.

"Please." Sam snorted. "I mean don't get me wrong, my Lara or whatever you want to call it, is still posh and proper but she's a bit like this meme, you know, the one that said 'you can't do that' and the other is like 'Hold my beer.' She paved her own way."

"I make my own choices; I chose to go to Medical school." Lara argued as if she was trying to convince herself at the same time.

"Did you?" Sam arched an eyebrow. "Was it really what little Lara wanted to do when she was running around with Sir Reginald's helmet on her head?" Sam questioned. She wasn't trying to attack Lara, but she wanted her to realize it wasn't her life. She knew Lara more than anyone else, more than Lara herself sometimes; she knew when that woman needed a little push.

"I…" Lara crossed her arms defiantly. "This is none of your concern."

"Here we go," Sam shook her head. Lara felt cornered and it was clear she wouldn't get anything out of her until she calmed down. "Lara in all her glory, shutting up like a clam." She was getting frustrated; she just wanted her wife back.

"You don't know me." The English woman growled.

"Sure sweetie, keep telling yourself that." Sam hopped off the bed and removed her gown, leaving her standing in her underwear.

"What are you…" Lara blushed brightly and quickly turned around to give Sam privacy.

"It's nothing you haven't seen before." Sam said amused when she saw Lara's reaction.

"I'll wait for you outside."

Sam sighed wearily. She really needed answers and fast.

* * *

 

The trip to Lara's flat was made in silence, except for the radio softly playing in the background. Sam could see Lara was deep in thought and decided it was better to give her some time.

To Sam's surprise, Lara offered to cook them a nice dinner when they arrived home. "No way! You know how to cook?" She sat on the kitchen stool and watched as Lara grabbed a frying pan.

"My parents' chef taught me before I left for Uni." Lara shrugged as if it was nothing. "He thought a lady shouldn't feed herself with only takeaways and junk food." She opened the fridge and retrieved some vegetables. "Your Lara doesn't cook?"

Sam snorted. "I don't think warming up army rations or hunting down an animal before grilling it on the fire camp would be considered cooking."

"Oh dear, that's awful!" Lara said horrified.

"It's badass and I can't actually judge, I tend to burn everything down."

"You want to see something badass, look," Lara said excitedly, reaching for a knife before trying to spin it in her hand. She failed and the knife fell on the counter.

Sam laughed loudly at the poor attempt. "Oh Gordon Ramsay better watch out."

"No wait, I know I can do this." Lara insisted, grabbing the knife and trying again. It made half a twirl before stabbing Lara's pinky finger. She hissed in pain. "Ouch, bugger."

"Are you okay?" Sam stood up and quickly walked along the counter, taking Lara's hand in hers. "It's bleeding," She inspected the cut. "But it doesn't look deep."

"I think I'm the doctor here." Lara said amused.

"Yes, but I'm used to being your nurse." Sam countered.

The English woman gently pulled her hands away from Sam's. "I'll be right back, I'm gonna go clean it up."

* * *

 

They ate dinner in relative silence until Lara decided to talk. "So…" She cleared her throat. "Hypothetically speaking, if I were to say I believe you, that somewhere deep down, I always thought I was destined to live another life, what would it change for me?"'

Sam fought a smile, she was right, Lara just needed some time to process. "I wish I could tell you that, but I'm not sure I understand everything yet. All I know is what happened in the cave."

"What happened exactly? Tell me." Lara requested gently.

"I can do one better, I can show you!" Sam rushed to her room to get her camera and went back to the kitchen. "Let's move to the living room, it will be better on the big screen." Sam plugged the cables she had bought earlier that day into the TV and grabbed the remote. She selected a video and pressed play when Lara joined her on the couch. "Let's start with this one, it's a view of the site in India."

"It's beautiful." Lara commented as she watched the landscape.

The video stopped and another started. "I didn't record this." Sam frowned as she saw herself and Lara talking next to a lake. Suddenly, Jonah's face appeared on screen.

_'"Hi, lovebirds, you're busy right now but I thought you would enjoy this later." Jonah turned the camera back toward Lara and Sam._

_"No Lara, it's dirty." Sam made a face as she pointed at the lake in front of them._

_"Come on, where is your sense of adventure?" Lara dared her._

_"It stops when I can catch Legionellosis." Sam answered seriously._

_Lara smiled mischievously before surging forward and hoisting Sam over her shoulder. "You just need to go all at once."_

_Sam shrieked and Jonah's laugh could be heard behind the camera. "I swear to God Lara Croft, if you throw me in there you're gonna sleep on the couch for a very very long time." Sam shouted. "Lara? Lara no!" She said just before Lara threw herself and Sam into the water._

_Sam came out of the surface and spat water. "I don't really like you right now."_

_Lara chuckled, swimming toward Sam and pulling her closer to her body. "It's because you love me."_

_Sam wrapped her arms and legs around Lara's body. "Aren't you full of yourself Mrs. Croft?"_

_"I've learned it from you, Mrs. Croft."_

_Sam gasped, faking hurt before splashing water at Lara as they both laughed.'_

When the video ended, Sam tentatively glanced at Lara who looked impassive. She scratched behind her ear, trying to come up with something. "So… I didn't know this video was there, otherwise I would have…"

"It's okay." Lara interrupted.

"Are you sure?"

"I just, I don't understand. I can see this woman, she looks like me, she talks like me but she is not me. I don't wear cargo pants and I'm not married and, and I've never travelled further than Europe!" Lara stared blankly at the screen. "There must be a logical explanation. Maybe I have a twin that I am not aware of?" Lara offered.

"Lara no, it's not possible."

"You don't know that!"

"I know from what you told me that your parents would never have abandoned their child." Sam pointed out.

"You're right but… maybe they didn't know?"

Instead of answering, Sam decided to start the video where they found the stones. She could see Lara watching it with rapt attention.

Lara gasped when she saw the light coming out of the stones, just before the screen went black. "This is not possible, things like this are just myths, tales you tell children to… This is not true."

"You used to think that too, before Yamatai…"

"But I've never been to Yamatai!" Lara shouted frustratingly. "You said it yourself, I'm just a proper British girl who works in a hospital, I am not this female version of Indiana Jones."

"Why do you have that Japanese painting in your room?" Sam asked out of nowhere, suddenly remembering this detail.

Lara frowned in confusion. "What?"

"It doesn't go with the style of your flat and yet, it's here when it is something my Lara would definitely have. Doesn't it make you wonder why?"

"I found it in my parents' attic. I thought the woman's traits were kind and it was soothing, it doesn't mean anything." Lara shook her head. "This is all just a myth…" She whispered. "I need to be alone. I'll see you tomorrow, goodnight."

"Lara, wait." Sam tried but she was already in her room. "Great." Sam sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She stayed there for a few minutes, lost in thoughts until she nodded resolutely to herself. "I can do this."

Sam took her notebook and started scribbling what she knew so far, about Lara's past and present. After re-reading her notes, she realized the changing point of the story was Lara's dad. From what she understood, he quit his quest and archeology all together to keep Amelia in his life. It meant that Amelia's plane never crashed, that Richard didn't turn obsessive over immortality in a desperate attempt to save his wife and he didn't die either, because he never crossed paths with Trinity… Lara never became an orphan and instead, she had a happy childhood, full of love.

The stones they touched had changed the past, Lara's past, which meant Sam never met her in Uni and the Lara Sam knew never existed. She didn't have many references in sci-fi books but she had watched a lot of movies. The only conclusion she could come up with was that the stones created an alternate timeline for Lara, one where her parents never died. But what about her?

She grabbed her phone and googled her name. There was no trace of her in England. It was weird. Sam didn't like to be cliché but she always thought Lara and her were soulmates; that they were meant to be. Did that mean her doppelganger was still out there? She typed other keywords until she found what she was looking for. A paragraph, that was all she found. Her family had probably covered it up to avoid the shame. Apparently, she had a car accident in Los Angeles, just after starting college. She was driving under the influence of alcohol and her car ended up at the bottom of a cliff. The authorities didn't know if it was suicide or an accident. Her funeral was reserved for close family…

Sam stared at the insert. A couple of lines; that was all the impact her death had. Her double disappeared without a sound, without a fight, without someone to remember her. She sniffled, sorry for her doppelganger, sorry for herself too. If she was dead in this timeline, it meant she was living Lara's version of paradise. She knew meeting Lara had changed her life for the better, no matter what Lara would say about putting her at risk but was the other way around not true? Was Lara better off without her? She seemed happy with her life… Sam stared at the picture frame with Lara and her parents and felt the tears run down her face. What was she supposed to do now?

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Reviews make me smile. Thank you for your warm feedback!
> 
> As usual, check our twitter 'BringSamNback' and Tumblr 'savesamnishimura'. We want to organize a Tweet day this Friday to celebrate our 100 followers, check it out!

The next morning, Sam left the loft early. It wasn't like she was trying to avoid Lara, she just couldn't face her after what she had discovered.

She was back at the UCL library, her nose buried in books. The familiarity was almost comforting, even if most of the time in Uni, it was Lara who was reading and Sam was just staring at her fondly.

Sam had been able to translate the character engraved on her stone. It was Fate. Sam thought it was funny, in a sadly tragic way, to realize Fate had led her to a timeline where she was dead and her wife, her best friend, the person that meant the most to her in the world, was happy without her. She felt the tears build up in her eyes and tried to fight them, she had cried enough in the past couple days, she didn't need to make a fool out of herself in public.

It was late afternoon when a student approached her. "Excuse me?"

"Yes?"

The young woman smiled. "I saw the books you took and…"

"Oh, do you need them?"

"No, no, I just..." The woman seemed to hesitate. "You looked lost and ready to have a breakdown so I thought I would ask if you needed help?"

Sam gave her a watery chuckle. "I think you got the picture right."

The student took the answer as an invitation and sat in front of Sam. "Is it for an assignment?"

"Oh god, no, I finished my degree a long time ago, it's for a personal project. At least if I can call it that…" Sam trailed off. "I'm used to doing documentary work, it's just that, usually my wife tells me what to look for before I start to dive in."

"You're married, that's dope."

"Yeah…" At least someone other than Sam seemed to be happy to hear the news in this timeline.

"My name is Aliyah." The woman introduced herself. "I study History."

"Sam. I'm a documentary producer."

"Really? It's awesome. What are you working on?" Aliyah asked.

"I'm trying to translate these inscriptions." Sam pushed her printed screenshots in front of the woman so she could have a look. "I found them in a cave in India." She didn't want to reveal too much, it was a habit she had picked up soon after working with Lara. With the life they lived, it was hard to know who was a friend or a foe sometimes, so it was easier to give the least amount of information possible.

Aliyah skimmed through the documents. "It's a language derived from Sanskrit."

"Can you translate it?" Sam questioned, hopeful.

"No, it's… I mean, I could help you with a few words but you should probably ask a linguist." Her eyes lingered on the inscriptions before looking at Sam. "You said something about your wife. Can't she help you?"

"She's… She's out of town." Sam lied, even if it was a bit true. "By any chance, do you know anything about King Revaita?"

"No. Should I?" Aliyah paused. "You know, maybe you should go to the British Museum. They re-opened the China and South Asian wing a few months ago, perhaps you could find something there." She shrugged. "I don't know, it's just an idea."

"Of course! Lara's dad!" Sam couldn't ask Lara, but the next best thing was her dad. He might have stopped his archeology career but he definitely still had the knowledge.

"What?"

"Nothing, just, thank you." Sam gathered her stuff and rushed out of the campus.

* * *

 

When Sam arrived at the flat, she was surprised to find the table set and Lara cooking in the kitchen. "Hey. You're here, I thought you were working late."

"Hi. Yes, I changed my shift with a colleague…" Lara answered almost awkwardly. "You weren't there this morning, I was worried."

"Yeah, I had things to do and didn't want to bother you."

"I'm sorry," Lara said suddenly.

"About?"

"Last night." The English woman answered. "I panicked and it wasn't fair to you. I know that you miss your wife and I realize it must not be easy to be stuck here with me when your wife is some kind of superhero and I'm… nothing special."

"Oh sweetie," Sam looked at Lara, really looked at her and realized she had been so focused on her own misery that she had overlooked how the whole situation might weigh on Lara. "Don't think like that... You are a doctor, you save lives, you are a superhero on your own."

"But I promised to help you and all I'm doing is making things harder for you." Lara confessed.

"I'm pretty sure I'm the one ruining your life." Sam whispered sadly.

"You're not. I don't know what it is about you but…" Lara stopped herself, as if thinking better of it. "Nevermind, tell me how I can help?"

"I need your father." Sam blurted out.

"I beg your pardon?" Lara asked, hoping she had not heard correctly.

"I tried to translate the inscriptions I saw before I woke up here but I'm pretty sure your father is the only one who can help me at this point." Sam rushed to explain.

"You want me to ask my father to help you?"

"I don't have to meet him," Sam reassured. "You can just send him an email…"

Lara raised an eyebrow. "And what should I tell him exactly?"

"That one of your friends needs help for a documentary and you thought you'd ask him?" Sam offered. It wasn't like she could come clean about the whole thing. What was Lara supposed to say? That she met someone who claimed to be her wife in another timeline and that they needed help to figure out what happened? Yeah sure…

"Sam…"

"Lara please, I need answers and, I don't want to assume but I'm pretty sure you do too…"

Lara sighed. "Fine, tell me what you need and I'll send him a message after dinner."

They ate dinner while talking about their day. Sam tried to explain Lara that touching the stones might have altered the space-time continuum but Lara looked at her skeptically so she gave up.

As promised, once they were done, they settled in the living room and Lara emailed the screenshots to her father. His answered arrived soon after.

"Very interesting, come Sunday for brunch with your friend." Lara read the email out loud. "You got to be kidding me."

Sam's eyes widened. "He wants to meet me?"

"So it seems…"

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God…" Sam was suddenly freaking out. She was supposed to meet her in-laws, who weren't really her in-laws, how was she supposed not to freak out?

"What's wrong?" The English woman asked concerned. "If we are married in your world, or timeline, or whatever you want to call it…" She rolled her eyes. "I still find this concept absurd, even if scientists agree parallel universes exist but… Anyway, why are you freaking out? I'm sure we see them quite often."

"It's different…" Sam trailed off.

"Why? You seem to behave strangely every time I bring up my parents," Lara looked at her suspiciously. "Is there a reason?"

"I…" Sam started. Suddenly Lara's pager came to life. Saved by the bell, Sam thought as she sighed in relief.

Lara grabbed her pager and looked at it. "It's an emergency. I have to go back to the hospital. Will you be okay?"

"Yes, of course, don't worry about me, go save some lives."

"Okay." Lara stood up but seemed to hesitate. "I… Call me if you need anything, okay?" She reached out and squeezed Sam's shoulder before rushing to her room to change.

* * *

 

The rest of the week went pretty much the same, Lara spent her days at the hospital while Sam was at UCL Library, trying to translate more words and looking for information on parallel universes and alternate timelines.

Friday afternoon, after re-reading the same paragraph over and over again, Sam knew it was time for her to take a break. The weekend was almost there and she was getting nervous about meeting Lara's parents.

She wandered around the streets, lost in thoughts until she realized she was a block away from Nine Bells. She smiled to herself, she didn't know if her subconscious had led her there but she couldn't think of a better place to get a drink. Sam didn't recognize the owner but it didn't stop her from buying a beer and settling at her usual table, the one she was used to sitting at while waiting for Lara's shift to be over. She didn't know how long she stayed there, watching the patrons talk and laugh around her. It felt familiar and yet something was amiss. She sighed deeply before emptying the rest of her beer.

As Sam exited the bar, she pulled her leather jacket closer against the cold misty air and instantly regretted it. Since she didn't want to ask Lara for more money, she had borrow one of her jackets, except her perfume still lingered on it, like a sad reminder of everything she had lost. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and reached for it. It was later than she thought and if the three missed calls were any indication, she guessed Lara was wondering where she was.

* * *

 

When Sam arrived at the flat, she heard some people talking followed by Lara's laugh. She frowned in confusion. Lara had told her that she never had guests except for her parents and it was hard to believe the woman had invited people over while her 'former patient' was crashing at her place. "Lara?" No answer. Her frown deepened as she walked toward the living room. Saying she was surprised by the scene in front of her would be an understatement. Lara was alone, sitting on the couch with the remote in hand and she was staring at the screen where a video of her with Lara was playing. She had watched all the videos on her camera and she was sure as hell this one wasn't on it. "What is going on?"

Lara startled slightly before rushing to press pause. "Sam! You're home. I didn't hear you come in."

"I can see that." Sam's eyes fell on her fashion army jacket, the one she was wearing when she arrived and was now resting on the couch. Was Lara going through her stuff? What was going on? "Care to explain all this." She waved in direction of the jacket and the TV. "Because you know, if you had questions, you could have just asked, I think I've been honest with you so far, you didn't have to go through my things." She stared at the jacket.

"What?" Lara frowned and followed Sam's line of sight. "God no! That's not what it looks like, I swear." She stood up.

"Then my jacket moved from your guest room to your couch all by itself?" Sam arched her eyebrow.

"I took it but I wasn't trying to pry. I was doing the laundry and went to your room to see if you had any dirty clothes in your basket."

"That's what you're going with? The jacket was on the bed, Lara. Seriously, I know you are smoother than that." Sam couldn't believe what was happening. She thought Lara was starting to trust her, to be comfortable around her. Honestly, she loved her wife to death but she knew she could be paranoid, rightfully so sometimes, except she didn't think this Lara, who never knew loss and betrayal could be the same.

"I'm telling the truth." Lara insisted, she reached out for Sam's hand but stopped herself. "Please Sam, sit down and let me explain, I'm sure you'll be happy to hear about this."

Sam stared at Lara for a moment, trying to see if she had any reason to doubt her but couldn't find any. She knew her Lara, she knew she wasn't the type of person to look into her things but she had come to realize that this Lara, was different in some ways. "Alright, I'm listening." She sat on the other side of the couch.

"Before putting your jacket into the washer, I made sure there was nothing in your pockets and I found this." Lara reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a stone. "That's why I tried to call you."

"It's the stone I touched before… But how?" Sam carefully took it in her hand. "Why?"

"I don't know." Lara shrugged. "And it wasn't the only thing. I also found another memory card. I apologize, I know I should have waited for you but my curiosity got the best of me. I just wanted to see if there was anything on it that could help me understand…"

"And?" Sam stopped staring at the stone and carefully put it in her pocket.

"I only watched a couple of videos but I'm more confused than I was before..." Lara admitted.

Sam sighed as she looked at the screen, a frozen image of Lara, Jonah and her visiting a market in India. "Do you want to keep watching them with me?"

Lara nodded wordlessly before looking at the jacket still laying on the armrest of the couch. "Here, it's clean." She handed it to Sam. "It's a lovely jacket, by the way."

Sam smiled. So maybe her wife's paranoia had rubbed off on her a little and this Lara, like hers, was just trying to be sweet and helpful but habits died hard. "It's yours, actually."

"What?"

"I bought it for you, I mean, my Lara, a while ago but I like to steal her clothes now and then. We don't have the same style but since I buy most of her clothes, I know she has some badass-ly chic pieces."

Lara snorted. "Is that even a thing?"

"You wear scrubs, you wouldn't know." Sam said, faking haughtiness.

"It's for work, and aren't you wearing one of my jackets right now?" The English woman questioned, almost daring Sam to try and deny it.

"Touché." Sam chuckled. "But that's because I have a thing for leather." She winked.

Lara blushed and cleared her throat before reaching for the remote. "Shall we?"

"Wait." Sam touched Lara's hand gently. "Before we start, I want to say I'm sorry if I sounded snappy, it's been a long week…"

"You have every right to be, I shouldn't have touched your things without asking first." Lara waved her apology. "I mean you asked before taking mine."

"You found these." Sam pointed at the screen then tapped at the pocket where the stone was. "I'm glad you did." She smiled.

Lara smiled back before turning toward the screen and pressing play.

They watched a dozen videos before calling it a night. Sam had spent her time darting between the TV and Lara, trying to gauge her reaction. Except for a few smiles and a couple of raised eyebrows, Lara had been impassible. There was a lot of other videos from before the cave to watch but Sam decided to keep them for later, for when she was alone and missing her Lara a bit too much.

* * *

 

On Saturday, Lara had a late shift so she offered to teach Sam how to bake cookies. Sam had been surprised at first that Lara wanted to spend time with her but it quickly turned into joy. It felt good to forget her worries for a couple of hours and just enjoy Lara's company. This Lara was a little more carefree, a little less guarded but her kindness was still the same.

Around 10 PM, when Lara came back from her shift, they ordered food and watched a movie together. It felt oddly domestic except Lara was on the other side of the couch instead of cuddling Sam.

After Lara went to bed, Sam decided to settle in her room and watch the videos on the first memory card again, especially the one where Lara threw her in a lake. She knew she shouldn't because she would only end up in tears but she couldn't help it.

She didn't know how many times she re-watched the video, tears streaming down her face but she was torn out of her bubble by a knock on the door. "Yes?" She quickly wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

Lara opened the door and poked her head in. "I'm sorry, I… I had a weird dream so I got up to watch the telly and I heard you cry… I know it's a silly question but, are you okay?"

"I…" Sam laughed depressingly but it quickly turned into a sob.

"Sam…" For once, Lara didn't second guess herself and jumped onto the bed to hold Sam.

"I'm sorry." Sam mumbled in the crook of Lara's neck as she held her for dear life.

"Shhh, it's okay."

They stayed there, holding each other for a while. When Sam's tears subsided, she asked. "What did you dream about?"

"I was part of a club, an archery club, except I've never done archery." Lara revealed.

"Sisters of Artemis?" Sam pulled away to look at Lara.

"Yes, how do you know?"

"Are you sure?" Sam insisted. When Lara nodded, she explained herself. "It was your archery club at UCL. Why would you dream about that?" Was Lara starting to remember? Could she even remember a life she had never lived?

"I don't know." Lara shrugged helplessly.

After a while, Sam expected Lara to go back to her room but instead, she slipped under the covers. They lay down in silence, on each side of the bed, staring deep in thought at the ceiling until exhaustion took them both…

* * *

 

The next day, Sam woke up cuddling Lara. For a few seconds, she thought she was back into her timeline but then she realized they weren't in her room, they weren't in the Manor so she reluctantly pulled away, not wanting to take advantage of Lara.

Sam slowly got out of bed, careful not to disturb Lara and went to take a shower. When she came out of the bathroom, Lara was staring sleepily and confusedly around the room.

"Hey…" Lara smiled softly at her.

Sam's breath hitched. That smile, that sweet beautiful smile on Lara's face had always been reserved just for her. For the second time that day, Sam almost thought she had her Lara back but the illusion didn't last long. She cleared her throat. "So, I'm sorry about last night…"

"Don't be."

"No but…"

"Let's just get ready," Lara interrupted, hopping off the bed. "I don't want to be late for brunch."

Sam frowned at the rebuttal but decided to drop the subject rather than get into an argument just before her meeting with Lara's parents.

* * *

 

Sam was a nervous wreck as she stepped out of the car. It felt good to see the Manor again but she knew why she was here, to meet Lara's parents and that was definitely a big deal.

"It's this way." Lara informed her.

Sam smiled indulgently. "I know."

"Right, sorry."

"I'm nervous." Sam blurted out as they walked toward the front door.

Lara pressed a reassuring hand on the small of her back as they stopped in front of the door. "Me too…"

Before Sam could ask why, the door opened to reveal a tall young man in a suit. She guessed Winston had passed away from old age here too.

"Lady Lara," The man smiled before turning toward Sam. "And her guest, Ms…?"

"Sam will do, buddy."

"And Lady Sam. Welcome. My name is Piers; I am the Croft's family butler." The man introduced himself. He opened the door wider. "Please come in. Your parents are waiting for you in the greenhouse, Lady Lara."

Lara smiled politely. "Thank you, Piers." She stepped into the house and wordlessly led Sam toward the greenhouse.

Sam could feel her stress level sharply increasing as they approached the room. Just before getting in, Lara leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "It's gonna be okay." Sam didn't know if she was trying to reassure her or convince herself, but it was still nice to hear.

Amelia and Richard stood up as they walked into the greenhouse. Lara removed her hand from Sam's back and went to hug her parents. "Mum, Dad, it's good to see you."

"You too, little angel." Richard answered with a kind smile.

"And who is your friend?" Amelia asked as she broke the embrace with her daughter.

To Sam's surprise, Lara rested her hand on the small of her back again before introducing her. "This is Samantha C…" She stopped herself. "Nishimura."

Sam was grateful for Lara's supportive touch. The moment was so overwhelming. Lara had always spoken so highly of her parents, despite her dad pushing her aside in his quest to bring his wife back. Sam had read some of their journals too. She remembered weeping as much as Lara when her wife had found the courage to share Amelia's last letter to her daughter. She had always wished she could have met them, to tell them how wonderful their daughter was, how they could be proud. Right now, in this alternate timeline, it was possible and yet it was so bittersweet. "You can call me Sam, Mrs. Croft, it's a pleasure to meet you." She shook Amelia's hand.

"Likewise, dear." Amelia smiled. "Please have a seat."

Sam greeted Richard and moved to the table, smiling gratefully as Lara pulled out her chair for her. "You have a lovely home." As nervous as she was, she was ready to be the perfect daughter-in-law possible, even if, technically, she wasn't with Lara in this timeline.

"You are sweet, thank you." Amelia said as she laid her napkin on her lap.

"So Samantha, what are you doing in life?" Richard questioned.

"I'm a documentary producer, sir." Sam didn't dare to correct him on her name, she could be called Samantha as long as she made a good impression.

"Oh, interesting." Richard hummed. "Please call me Richard, no need for Sir, it tends to make me feel old."

"We are old Richard." His wife said jokingly.

"In body perhaps but not in mind, my love, and this is what matters."

Sam couldn't help but smile at the scene. Lara's parents were so cute together. She hoped Lara and her would turn out the same when they grew old. Piers entered the room and set the food on the table before leaving them to their discussion.

"How did you two meet?" Amelia asked Sam. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't recall Lara mentioning your name before. Well, not that it comes as a surprise; my daughter can be secretive about her life and despite my best efforts, not very fond of socializing. I blame my husband for that one."

"Oh my god, mother!" Lara hid her face into her hands.

Sam laughed freely. "She can be a bit of a loner yeah…"

Lara groaned. "Not you too."

"Sorry sweetie," Sam chuckled, her favorite term of endearment slipping out of her mouth without her noticing. "But, she is the sweetest person I know." She looked at Lara fondly before turning toward Amelia. "And to answer your question, I interviewed Lara for a documentary. We got along well so we stayed in touch…" She was good at lying with a straight face but, she had to admit she had prepared a little speech before meeting Lara's parents, expecting at least a few questions.

Lara looked at her stunned for a few seconds before recovering. "Yes, but I wasn't really good so it didn't make the cut."

"Oh don't be so hard on yourself, I think you're a natural when you are in your element." Sam sipped her coffee before adding. "It was just a funding problem so the whole project was set aside. I am currently working on another project and this is why I asked Lara to contact you."

"I must say, I was quite surprised by my daughter's email." Richard declared with sparkling eyes. "I would love to hear more about your project."

"Richard, please."

"Sorry dear," Richard kissed his wife's hand before focusing back on Sam. "Samantha, we'll go to my study after brunch to discuss it."

"Do you live in London too?" Amelia kept on with her questioning.

Sam could see Lara starting to panic from the corner of her eye. It wasn't like she was about to reveal the truth and say they were living together. She knew straight people could be oblivious but she didn't want to put Lara in any kind of trouble. "I…"

"She lives with me right now." Lara blurted out.

Sam stared at Lara flabbergasted. This woman finally decided to join the conversation and that was what she was coming with. She glanced at Amelia and saw her raise an eyebrow, the hint of a smile on her lips. Okay, maybe not so oblivious then. "I go wherever work takes me and Lara had been kind enough to let me stay in her guest room." Guest room seemed like an important detail, it sounded gal-pal-ish enough.

"I'm glad you have company, my little angel. Your mother taught me it's important to open up to the world sometimes." Richard jumped in.

Lara was about to object when her pager went off. She sighed. "I'm sorry. It's an emergency." She touched Sam's shoulder. "Are you okay to stay here or do you want a lift? I should be back in the evening."

"She is welcome to stay." Amelia stated.

"I'll be okay, go." Sam reassured even though she was not ready to stay all afternoon alone with her in-laws.

Lara nodded. "I'll see you later." She stood up and looked at her mum. "Hum, be nice?" She smiled pleadingly.

"Oh darling, aren't I always?" Amelia smiled brightly in return.

"I mean, please don't bombard her with questions." Lara clarified.

"We'll be on our best behavior." Richard assured.

* * *

 

The rest of the brunch went well and soon, Sam was sitting in Richard's study, talking about her 'project'. She had spent so many hours researching artefacts and studying maps with Lara in this room that it was weird to see Richard and not Lara behind the desk.

"So Samantha, tell me more about this project of yours." Richard sat at his desk.

"I was in India shooting a documentary with a crew. And we hum, met a monk?" Again, Sam knew she had to lie about some details of her story. She couldn't really say her wife aka his daughter was the archaeologist who discovered the ancient city. "He told us the story of King Raivata and while visiting some ruins, I found these stones." Not knowing how their meeting would go, she hadn't brought her stone with her.

Richard nodded. "So how can I help you, my dear?"

"I need your help to translate the inscriptions on the walls and the signs on the stones." Sam pulled out her copy of the pictures and continued. "From what I gathered, it is a language derived from Sanskrit."

"You'd be correct." Richard confirmed, staring at his printed screenshots.

"I was only able to translate a few words. You must understand that this is not really my field."

Richard chuckled lightly. "I am aware but you were able to translate a part, even if minor. I am impressed, Ms. Nishimura. Did you have a historian or a leading archaeologist with you?"

"Thank you!" Sam felt her heart swell with pride. Lara's father was impressed with her work, she was so nailing this perfect daughter-in-law thing. "I had but she is currently working on another project in some lost part of the world and I can't reach her."

"What's her name?"

"Mhh," Shit, Sam hadn't thought about that. "I think she'd prefer to stay anonymous until we know more."

"Of course, I understand. Well, send her my regards and tell her she made quite a discovery." Richard smiled before grabbing some books and a magnifying glass. He inspected the picture of the first stone. "This stone is engraved with the word Fate."

Sam nodded. "That's what I found."

Lara's father looked at the other stone. "This one is blurry but it looks like the word Family."

Sam hummed. It actually made sense since Lara was living a life where her parents were still alive. Maybe it wasn't Lara's version of paradise after all, it made her feel a bit better.

"How many stones were there?"

"Nine, in a form of a Swastika. I have a picture if you want, it wasn't in the email." Sam answered, showing him another piece of paper.

Richard studied it. "I can see Enlightenment, Love but I can't seem to decipher the rest."

Sam groaned silently, of course Lara couldn't have touched that one. "What about the inscriptions on the wall?"

"Where did you find these?"

"Behind the altar where the stones were set. Can you translate it?"

Richard nodded distractedly. "Give me a moment…" He grabbed a pen and looked into his books while scribbling a few notes. "It looks like a Modus Operandi. It says, 'Each stone carries a tear of Brahma, weigh your choice wisely to find what your soul desires, and discover what should be.'" Richard hummed pensively. "It also says to guarantee a safe passage, only one soul must undertake the journey and leave behind their burden. Only then will they find the true answer."

The news felt like a cold shower. Sam and Lara both used it without even knowing what it would do. "What would happen if two people were to use it at the same time?"

"I couldn't say for sure." Richard pondered his answer. "I would think the first pure soul asking their question would lead the way."

Sam frowned. Would it mean Lara had deciphered the symbol just before they were sent here? "What about the other person?"

"Probably dragged as a passenger in the soul's journey."

So Sam was a passenger in Lara's journey. It meant her stone was useless. She didn't know yet if it was good or bad. Lara might still have her family but they travelled in an alternate timeline while using two stones with two souls, it must have had consequences. She didn't think Lara had stopped considering her as family, so her doppelganger's death might have been some collateral damage. And if she was dead, they weren't able to meet. She remembered reading something about the universe not being a fan of paradoxes and time loops. She was feeling a headache coming. At least she was making progress, but now, she could only think about one question. "If someone was able to start this journey, what would they have to do to go back and make it stop?"

"Picture the altar as a door and the stone as key. If you travel from point A to point B, there must be another door on the other side. I would imagine you would have to put the stone back once you have your answer…"

"Okay. Thank you so much, Sir, I mean Richard. You've been very helpful."

"It was my pleasure Samantha, I'm happy to help my daughter's friend. If it's not too much trouble, could you let me know how your project went?"

"Sure." Sam said even though she was pretty sure she would be back in her timeline soon.

"Brilliant." Richard grinned happily. "Now if we are done, I think Amelia wanted to talk to you. She's in her studio, let me show you the way."

"Oh, it's okay, I…" Sam stopped herself before she could say she lived here and instead followed Richard to the studio.

* * *

 

After Lara's father left, Sam slowly entered the room. It was different from the studio she had learned to call hers. It smelled like paint and there were numerous spots of paint on the floor. Some of them were still there in her timeline. She could never bring herself to clean them because she wanted to feel connected to Lara's mother somehow, and now, she was about to.

"What do you think?" Amelia asked, not taking her eyes away from the painting she was working on.

"It's Lara and…"

"You, yes. I hope you don't mind." Amelia put her brush down.

"It's wow…" Sam stared in awe at the painting in front of her. In the background, she could see the greenhouse where they had brunch but the main focus was on Lara looking at her with a soft smile as she was talking. It wasn't finished but it was really good. "Did you draw this from memory?"

"I tried but my brain isn't as sharp as it used to be."

"Are you kidding? It's great." Sam exclaimed. If only she could bring it back to her timeline, Lara would be so happy.

"Thank you, dear." Amelia stood up. "Let's have a walk in a garden; I need to stretch my legs."

As Sam reached the garden, she felt her nervousness resurface. Lara's father was a lot like her wife, kind and focused, the familiarity made her at ease but it was different with Amelia. She was more outgoing and behind her proper upbringing, you could feel her wildness. They walked for a little while, in peaceful silence.

"Forgive my forwardness but what are you to my daughter?" Amelia suddenly questioned.

Sam choked on air at the unexpected question. "I'm sorry?"

"Lara might think we are oblivious, well my husband might be regarding this particular topic but I'm not, I know she has an affinity for the fairer sex…"

"Oh, hum, is that a problem?" Sam asked harsher than she intended.

"Dear god, no!" Amelia exclaimed as if offended Sam could even think that.

"Okay, good."

"To tell you the truth, I tried to set her up with some young artist I know, a sweet girl but Richard told me to stay out of it, that she will meet someone when she is ready but…" Amelia confessed as they kept walking. "All Lara can think about is her job. I want her to feel accomplished but I don't want her to close doors on herself. I worry sometimes... "

Sam snorted. "Yeah, I can't tell you how many times I told her to take breaks, this girl would just fall asleep her face buried in books if you'd let her."

Amelia smiled impishly. "So let me reiterate my question then, Ms. Nishimura, who are you to my daughter because I have an inkling she might have found her one."

Sam was definitely panicking. Was she about to get the shovel talk? Oh God, she wasn't ready for that. A part of her was so honored and happy to be able to meet Lara's parents, to tell them how grateful she was for their daughter but this? This was not what she would qualify as a nice moment with the in-laws. She was already married to Lara in her timeline, what was she supposed to stay? 'Yes I'm Lara's girl, we'll get married someday. And you know what? Your studio is mine now and we even had sex on the piano to fulfill a fantasy of mine…' And oh God, why was she even thinking about that right now? She was definitely panicking. "I'm, hum, Mrs. Croft…"

"Please call me Amelia."

"Amelia, I'm… it's not, we're just friends." Sam stumbled on her words. Why were her hands so sweaty?

"But you want to be more." Amelia stopped walking and turned toward Sam.

"I… hum…" Sam looked around, desperately trying to come up with something. Would she sound crazy if she said that in another world, she was married to her daughter? Yeah, probably.

"Darling breathe," Lara's mother chuckled. "I wouldn't want you to pass out," She squeezed Sam's shoulder gently. "Don't worry, I have my answer."

"Really but I didn't…"

"I saw the way you look at her, it's the same way I look at Richard." Amelia stated.

"I don't think she feels the same way…" Sam answered downcast. At least, not in this timeline.

"Oh trust me, darling, she does. A mother knows," Amelia tapped her head lightly with a small smile, as if she knew all the secrets of the world. "I saw it in her eyes, and in her smile too."

Sam stood there dumbly. "Oh…" Could she look even more brain-dead? Way to make a good impression, she hadn't been able to formulate a full sentence since she started the conversation.

Amelia started walking again. "You seem like a nice girl Samantha. You could make my daughter happy someday. She is too much like her father sometimes, she needs someone like you, someone that drags her out of her bubble to enjoy the little things in life."

"Thank you. I…" Sam halted her steps as she felt the tears gather in her eyes. She was so touched by Amelia's words. "It means a lot to me."

"So…"

Sam jogged to catch up with Lara's mother. "Yes?"

"What are your thoughts about children?"

"What?" Sam almost tripped at the question.

Amelia laughed and it reminded Sam so much of Lara. "I'm sorry, dear, are you alright?"

"Mum? Sam?" Lara's voice suddenly called.

"Oh thank God." Sam whispered, thanking all the deities she could think of for this good timing.

"We're here, darling!" Amelia shouted back.

Lara joined them less than a minute later with a big smile on her face. It quickly fell when she saw the look on Sam's face. "Are you alright? You look pale."

"Yes, I'm probably just hungry." Sam waved it off. She didn't want to be a snitch and tell Lara her mother basically asked her if she was ready for the U-Haul and the mini-van.

Amelia smiled. "I appreciate the lie but I fear this was my fault, I think I questioned her a bit too hard."

"Mum!" Lara glared lightly at her mother. "Why in hell would you do that? I asked you to be nice!"

"Language, darling." Amelia chastised. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to know your  _friend_ better."

The tone Lara's mother said friend didn't go unnoticed by Sam. "Don't worry, it wasn't so bad." It was a bold face lie and she was pretty sure Lara saw right through it.

"Let's go back inside." Lara stated as she took Sam's hand and led her back toward the Manor.

Lara's parents offered them to stay for dinner but Lara said she was tired and wanted to go home. Sam suspected she refused for her sake but didn't point it out. Before they left, Richard invited them both to the inauguration of the new British Museum Collection the next week.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I love your feedback, thank you =)

Sam had spent the next couple of days looking for plane tickets and possible contacts to set up an expedition in India. If Richard was right, the only way to go back to their timeline was to go to the ancient city of Kusasthali. She hadn't shared with Lara what her father had told her and Lara never asked. She didn't know if she didn't care or if she was too afraid to ask but Sam didn't want to push her too far, especially after they had become closer. She wanted to wait to have all the details and a solid plan before sharing it with her, that and she also needed her money.

Lara had worked a lot of shifts in a row the past days, probably to compensate for the shifts she had changed to spend time with Sam.

On Wednesday, Sam decided to surprise Lara at work so they could eat dinner together. When she arrived at the hospital, she found Jackie and asked her where to find Lara. Just like the nurse said, Lara was at the first-floor reception desk. Sam smiled, slowly approaching but stopped dead in her tracks when a tall brunette started to talk to Lara.

Sam frowned at the woman's closeness and her clearly touchy-feely nature. She stepped to the side and hid behind the supply trolley that was standing in the middle of the hallway. She couldn't hear everything from her spot but if she moved any closer, there was a risk they would see her.

"Sara," Lara greeted, discreetly putting some distance between her and her colleague. "What can I do for you?"

"Go on a date with me, Croft. You need to blow off some steam now and then." Sara said in a flirty tone.

"No, thank you." Lara answered, still focusing on her paperwork. She wasn't one to talk about her sexuality but one day, Jackie offered to introduce her to her nephew for a date and when she insisted, Lara simply blurted out that she liked women. Unfortunately for her, Sara had barged into the breakroom at the same moment.

Sam glared at the woman. Did she hear the word date? She looked at the trolley, could she push that thing closer?

"Come on, no need to play hard to get." Sara smiled. "You chose to ask me to change your shifts with mine, there must be a reason."

Lara chuckled at the absurdity of the remark. "Yes, because the others said no."

Sam stopped messing with the trolley wheels and looked back at Lara. She was laughing, why was she laughing? Lara had her back turned at her, it was hard to tell what was going on.

Sara looked around them before pulling Lara's file away to force her to look at her. "Lara…"

Lara sighed in frustration and turned to face her colleague. "I am not playing hard to get and I am not interested."

Sam tried to listen but a beeping noise coming from a room close to her made it hard to hear. Did Lara say she was interested? She didn't get the time to think it over because suddenly, Sara leaned closer to Lara's face. She couldn't see this. She abruptly turned around and rushed out of the hospital. She was so stupid. Her doppelganger was dead, of course Lara couldn't stay celibate all her life. What did she expect? That after crashing in on Lara's life and spending a week with her, everything would change.

However, what Sam didn't see as she left was Lara forcefully pushing the woman away and telling her to get lost and that she had someone, kind of.

* * *

 

The next morning, after having a breakdown for most of the night, Sam felt like she was suffocating in the flat. She needed to go out and take her mind off things. She didn't know if it was her old insecurities coming back but she was starting to believe Lara was better off without her. For some reasons, she kept thinking about a Fleetwood Mac song ' _And I wish you all the love in the world. But most of all, I wish it from myself.'_  Sam wanted Lara to be happy, to be the cause of her happiness but she couldn't force her to be with her and if she wasn't who Lara wanted, then she loved her enough to step down.

After all, it was Lara's journey, Lara's happy place in an alternate timeline where her parents were still alive, why would Sam ruin it? She was just a passenger in this, a witness of what could be. If she wasn't supposed to be here, maybe she should leave, go back to her timeline and let Lara be happy, even if it was without her.

After a quick shower, Sam exited her room and walked tiredly toward the living room.

"Good morning!" Lara said cheerfully.

"What the fuck!" Sam jumped out of her skin. She was sure Lara was at work; that was why she had left her room in the first place. She knew Lara was a morning person but that was way too cheerful for Lara and definitely way too much for her. "You scared the shit out of me." She rested a hand on her heart. "Why aren't you at work?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Lara laughed lightly. "Since I worked late yesterday, I have the morning off."

"Oh, hum, okay…" Sam ran her fingers through her hair.

"I made us breakfast." Lara announced, waving her hand in direction of the kitchen.

"Thanks but I'm not hungry."

"You should eat you know." The English woman advised. "From the state of the kitchen, it doesn't look like you ate dinner yesterday, it's not good for your health to skip meals."

"I can take care of myself." Sam snapped despite herself before taking a deep breath. She knew she had no right to be angry at Lara for what happened the day before. As far as Lara was concerned, she was just a stranger she met a week ago.

"Of course." Lara frowned at the cold answer. "I know that but I was just trying to… It's… Nevermind..." She sighed. "Do you have plans for this morning? I thought maybe we could talk…"

"About?" Sam held her breath, hoping it wasn't about Lara's date. She didn't think she could take it.

"I had another weird dream, you know, one that felt real like the Archery club. I was dressed in some sort of period costume and you were there, trying to cheer me up. And hum, your friend, Jonah, is it? He was there too. Does it ring a bell? Because I never took acting class in Uni."

Sam smiled a bit at the memory. "Yeah, you performed in Pride and Prejudice for Jonah." Then she realized that if Lara was having flashbacks, it meant her presence in this timeline was disturbing the continuum and in the process, Lara's happiness.

"Really?" Lara looked surprised. "Wow, he must be a really good friend."

"He's like a brother to you."

Silence settled as they stood there awkwardly. When Lara realized Sam wouldn't join her in the kitchen, she said. "I have to be honest; I'm still struggling with this. I mean, you showed up out of nowhere and you know all these things about me. It was already scary and confusing but now I have these dreams, I… I'm starting to think maybe I should run some tests to make sure I don't have a tumor making me see things…"

"You still don't believe me, do you? Despite the stones and the videos and everything."

"I want to but you have to admit, this is insane!" Lara exclaimed. "It goes against everything that I believe in. Until now my life was simple, I had my routine and…"

"Well, sorry I messed it up…" Sam cut her off dejectedly.

"That's not what I said!"

"You know what," Sam chuckled depreciatively. "Now that you mention it, I was the one talking Lara's ear off about Himiko and Yamatai, so maybe I messed up her life in my reality too." She was starting to rethink everything, to doubt everything. She was trying so hard to fight her old demons but maybe they were right. Maybe without her bringing up Yamatai and funding the expedition, Lara would have stayed in London, she would have a safer job and she would still have Roth…

"Sam…" Lara reached out in concern.

Sam pulled away, shaking her head to fight the tears. "I have to go." She rushed to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know…" Sam said before slamming the door behind her.

* * *

 

Sam didn't know how long she sat there, at the UCL library, staring into the void. Lara had been texting her every now and then to ask where she was and if she was okay but she couldn't bring herself to answer. She was re-evaluating her whole life, of course she wasn't okay.

"Hey, it's Sam, right?"

Sam looked up and saw Aliyah. "Yes, hi. How are you? I'm sorry I left in such a hurry last time."

"Don't worry about it." Aliyah waved it off. "I'm surprised to see you here, have you made any progress?"

"Yes, I found some answers but I'm not here for research." Sam answered vaguely.

The student raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here then?"

"Wondering what I'm doing with my life."

Aliyah laughed loudly before clapping her mouth shut when other students glared at her. She mouthed a sorry and sat in front of Sam. "Aren't we all?"

Sam bit her lip, pondering if she should ask Aliyah for a moment alone or if she could use someone to talk to. After all, she didn't have anyone here except Lara, and she wasn't even sure that fact was true. "Have you ever wonder where you would be if something in your life hadn't happened?"

"All the time."

"And?"

"Like my mama always says, what ifs only lead to more what ifs." The student said. "What ifs only lead to pain and prevent you from living the present. Maybe you would do things differently now, but you can only think that because you've changed. You learned because you experienced something that made you grow. It doesn't matter if it's good or bad, it made you who you are, so maybe it was supposed to be that way, so you could become who you are supposed to be."

Sam looked at the woman in front of her, trying to absorb everything she just said. "That's… deep."

Aliyah chuckled. "Yeah I know but it's true. Whatever you are struggling with, wondering what if won't help you."

Sam smiled tiredly. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

"Do you want to grab a drink?" The student offered. "You don't have to; I mean if your wife is waiting for you or something. It's just, you look like you could use a friend." She shrugged.

"I…" Sam's phone vibrated once again. It was Lara telling her there had been a traffic accident and she wouldn't be home any time soon. "Sure, I'm not as young as I used to be but this girl still knows how to party." She joked, pointing at herself.

They went to a bar close to campus and talked about nothing and everything. It felt nice to forget about her worries for a few hours.

* * *

 

Sam stumbled home around 2 AM and bumped into a few things as she tried to remove her boots. "Definitely not as young as I used to be." She mumbled, trying to remember how many drinks she had. As she stepped forward, she failed to notice Lara's shoes on the floor and tripped, falling face first onto the wooden floor. "Shit!"

Suddenly, the light turned on and Lara was in front of her, baseball bat in hand as if she was expecting a burglar. "Bloody hell, Sam!"

Sam laughed from her spot on the floor. "Relax, it's just me." She frowned. "Unless you knew that and you didn't want me to come back home."

"Where were you? I was worried sick." Lara stared at her, confused, before putting her bat away. "Are you pissed?" She helped Sam stood up.

"I made a friend at the library…" Sam informed her before lifting her hand and bringing her thumb and index closer. "Just a teensy bit." She chuckled, leaning forward.

Lara stepped closer and put a supportive arm around Sam. "Oh, by the smell of your breath I'd say definitely more than a tiny bit."

"You should let loose a bit more, you know." Sam slurred.

"I'll try to remember that. But for now, let's get you to bed." Lara said softly, leading Sam toward the guest room.

* * *

 

Sam woke up the next day with a hangover like she hadn't experienced in a long time. She had definitely lost her edge since she left Uni. She groaned, holding her pounding head before slowly stepping out of bed. She dragged herself to the kitchen; she was in a deep need of coffee.

"Good morning!" Lara greeted.

"Sshhh, not so loud." Sam plopped herself on the stool. "And no, it's not."

"Here, drink your black poison." Lara said, clearly amused as she pushed a cup of coffee in front of Sam with two aspirins "Doctor's order".

"What time is it?" Sam wrapped her hands around the warm mug and closed her eyes, enjoying the scent of her coffee.

"11 AM." When Sam didn't say anything, Lara continued. "So, I take it you had fun last night?"

"Yeah… Sorry for waking you up when I came home."

"It's alright. I was worried, you didn't answer any of my texts…"

Sam cracked an eye open, then the other and sighed. "Sorry." She wanted to say more, but she was in no state to have this conversation right now.

Lara sighed and looked at the time. "I have to go to work. Do you think you will be okay for the inauguration tonight?"

"Oh God," Sam whined painfully, remembering Richard's invitation. "It's tonight?" Lara nodded at her. "Urgh, yes. I just need a nap and a shower, it should be fine."

"Okay, I'll be here at 5 PM."

* * *

 

Just before 5 PM, Sam was feeling better and was ready for the evening. Lara was breathtaking in her black dress although Sam could tell she wasn't comfortable in it.

When they arrived at the museum, Lara quickly went in search of her parents. Richard and Amelia greeted her warmly before mingling with other guests.

Sam and Lara spent the next hour visiting the new collection centered on Russian history until Lara excused herself to go help her mother. After 15 minutes, Sam was bored and went to look for her. After five minutes, she found Lara in a heated conversation with her mother in the corner of a room.

"You know I'm gay?!" Lara exclaimed shocked.

"Of course I know."

"But, what… How…" Lara stammered. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was waiting for you to feel comfortable enough to tell me." Amelia explained softly.

"Then why are we having this conversation right now?"

"Because Sam is right here and you don't seem to realize it. I'm just trying to help."

"Unbelievable." Lara raised her hands in exasperation. "This is my life, the last thing I need is my mother playing matchmaker."

"I just don't want you to miss an opportunity."

"There is no opportunity!" Lara raised her voice. "I am not the woman she wishes I was and she is barely talking to me right now, so please stop meddling. I don't need anyone, I am content with the life I have."

Amelia shook her head. "You are too much like your father sometimes. She could be good for you and…"

"Hors d'oeuvre ma'am." A waiter unexpectedly appeared next to Sam. She looked at him before looking in Lara's direction. She and her mother were looking right back at her. Sam shook her head before storming out of the room. She had her answer, Lara was content with her life, she didn't need her to mess up her happiness. How could she bring Lara back to a life where her parents were dead and people were trying to kill her every time she was getting too close to a major discovery?

As Sam was rushing out of the museum, she heard Lara call her name. "Sam wait! Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving." Sam answered without looking back.

Lara jogged and caught her arm. "Stop, talk to me."

"I think you said it all already."

"What did you hear exactly?" Lara gently dragged her to the side of the hallway.

"Everything." Sam took a shaky breath. "I can see you're happy and you said it yourself, you're content with your life, you don't need me messing up everything. And I mean, you're safe, you're away from mercenaries and cultists and you have your parents and Sara…"

"I told her to get lost and that I had som…" Lara frowned, realizing she hadn't shared what happened with her colleague with Sam. "Wait, how do you know about that? Is that why you've been cold and distant? Is that why you came home drunk last night?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," Sam sniffled. "I love you too much to take all that away from you. So I'm willing to step back and go back to my timeline alone." She removed the chain around her neck and slid off her engagement ring. She grabbed Lara's hand and put the ring on it before closing it slowly. "So you can remember me someday." She leaned closer and kissed the corner of Lara's mouth. "Goodbye." She murmured before running.

Lara opened her hand, frowning in confusion as she recognized her mother's ring. "It's my… Sam… Samantha, wait." She started running after Sam again.

Sam tightened her hold on her purse and kept going before she could have a breakdown in the middle of the hallway. She frowned as she felt a burning sensation on her hand. She stopped and looked at her purse. It was shining dimly. "What the fuck…" She opened it slowly and squinted her eyes at the pure light coming out of it. She reached out inside and pulled out her stone. Why was it shining? She thought hers hadn't worked.

Lara joined her, a quizzical look on her face. "Why is your stone shining? What is going on?"

"I have no clue…" Sam glanced at Lara before looking around her. She was standing in front of the main room of the exhibition. She scanned it and her blood went cold when her eyes fell on Ana accompanied by a tall man with a scar on his cheek, talking to Lara's parents. "Oh God no, not again, not here…"

"What's wrong?" Then English woman asked concerned.

Sam stared, anger and dread slowly boiling inside her. Lara had told her all about her mother-in-law's betrayal, about her father's assassination, about Trinity, working behind the scene for far longer than she thought. She had read Lara's journals, in a desperate attempt to understand what had pushed her best friend to cut ties with her, at least until she had to set her free from Himiko. The scar, the gloves, the uneasy smile, Sam could bet her life that it was Konstantin, Ana's brother. "Do you know who these people are?" She questioned, her voice shaking as she pointed in direction of the siblings.

Lara followed Sam's line of sight and looked at the people talking to her parents. "I'm not sure. I think Dad mentioned something about private collectors trying to buy a relic from the museum collection."

"Which relic?" Sam pressed urgently.

"I don't know, I don't work here and I'm not an archaeologist either." Lara seemed to remember the conversation they were having and stared at her crossly. "Don't try to change the subject. What did you mean by you're leaving? Where? And why did you give me my mother's ring back? She was still wearing it a minute ago."

"I told you, we are married…" Sam said distractedly, still keeping an eye on Ana and her brother. "I'm afraid this talk, just like my departure, will have to wait. We have more important issues right now." She shoved her stone back into her purse and grabbed Lara's hand, dragging her toward Richard and Amelia.

"Sam, wait, no."

"Lara, Sam." Amelia smiled warmly.

"Oh Mr. Trent, I don't think you've met my daughter, Lara." Richard introduced. "And here is her special friend, Ms. Nishimura."

Lara offered her hand. "Good Evening, Sir."

Konstantin smiled almost predatorily, grabbing Lara's hand and pressing his lips to it. "What a lovely daughter you have, Mr. Croft." He turned toward Sam, offering his hand. "Ms. Nishimura."

In another circumstance, Sam would have laughed at being called 'special friend' but she was so blinded with cold rage that she couldn't focus on anything but Konstantin. She looked at him coldly and shook his hand as hard as she could. "Mr. Trent."

"A woman with a strong handshake, I like that."

"It's not just the handshake." Sam stated with a fake smile.

"Right… But where are my manners, here's my sister Ana."

Ana nodded in greeting. "Nice to meet you, ladies."

"Mr. Trent is very interested in the Atlas but I reminded him such a relic should belong to a museum." Richard explained.

Sam looked at the display case they were standing next to and just like Richard mentioned, the Atlas was there. Sam stared at it in confusion. How was it possible? She knew that before resting peacefully in the Manor secret chamber, the Atlas used to be hidden in Kitezh, but how could it be here? It didn't make any sense. If Lara never became an archaeologist, it meant no one had discovered the lost city and by extension, the artifact.

"And as I was telling your father, the Atlas had been a part of our family collection for a long time until someone stole it." Konstantin reminded him.

"Bummer," Sam commented sarcastically. When everyone turned toward her, she added. "I mean, such a beautiful piece, it must be hard." So Trinity did found Kitezh and without Lara to help The Remnants, she couldn't imagine the bloodbath it must have been. At least, she could take comfort in the fact that someone double-crossed them and stole the Atlas.

"Yes, that's why we offered good money to have it back." Ana jumped in. "But Mr. Croft is inflexible."

"I'm sorry you came all the way here for nothing. Please enjoy the rest of the exhibition." Richard excused himself before leading them away from the Trents. Then, Lara's father looked at Sam and smiled. "So Samantha, are you enjoying yourself this evening?"

If Sam thought she was in a bad place before, she was pretty sure she had just jumped on the highway to hell. "You did a wonderful job with this exhibition, Richard."

"Oh, flattery will get you everywhere, Ms. Nishimura." Richard laughed.

"Although, I would advise you to stay away from Mr. Trent and his sister." Sam warned seriously.

Richard frowned. "Why, have you heard of them before?"

"You could say that." Sam could still remember the hundred times Jonah and her almost died while trying to take down the organization. And Lara… After taking down their leader, she was in such a bad state that Sam thought she wouldn't make it. But she did, like always. Except this Lara right here, she wouldn't stand a chance. Aliyah's words suddenly rang true in her head. Every struggle Lara had been through prepared her for the big fight but with the life Lara had lived in this timeline, she was nothing but a sheep in the lion's den… "They are not the type to take no for an answer."

"Well, I'll keep that in mind." Richard turned toward his wife. "Let's go mingle, love."

Lara waited for her parents to be out of earshot before asking. "What happened there? I think you owe me an explanation."

Sam sighed. "I guess it's long overdue…" She scanned the room, trying to see if Ana and Konstantin were still there. "Not here, is there somewhere we can go?"

"There is an office down the hall." Lara took Sam's hand and led her to the office.

* * *

 

Once they were inside, Lara didn't waste a second and started firing questions. "Who are these people? How do you know them? Why did you tell my dad to be careful? Why did your stone start shining just before you noticed them?"

"Alright, hold on, hold on." Sam interrupted her. "It's gonna take a while, I think you should sit down."

"I'm good, so please explain." Lara crossed her arms and stood in front of Sam.

"Mhh, okay where do I start? I've only shared bits and pieces with you." Sam saw Lara open her mouth and rushed. "Wait, before you accuse me of hiding things from you, you should know I was just trying to protect you."

"I don't need protection." Lara declared curtly.

"Funny, we often have this conversation but usually the roles are reversed. We protect each other, that's what we do and you can lie to yourself if you want, but the last time I tried to talk to you about magic stones and alternate timelines, you freaked out."

Lara pursed her lips. "Fine, I won't interrupt again, go ahead." She waved her hand as if to say the floor is yours.

"I didn't lie, in my reality, we met in UCL and I'm really a documentary producer just like you are an archaeologist. Yamatai really happened. Shit happened, it would be too long to explain right now but before we found our way back to each other, you went on an expedition to Siberia. You were looking for the Divine Source, something your father was also searching but for another reason." Sam said in one breath.

"What reason?"

"Are you sure you don't want to take a seat?" Sam tried again.

"Just say it." Lara urged.

"I…" Sam took a deep breath. "In my timeline, your parents are dead…"

"What? It's not possible." The English woman paused. "Is it why you've been acting so weird every time I talked about them?"

"Yes," Sam admitted. "Your mom, she… She died in a plane crash. Your father, drowning in sorrow, started looking for a way to bring her back. It didn't work but he became obsessed with immortality. He was a good man, I mean after meeting him, I have no doubt in that but he neglected you a bit, that's why you always get me when I talk about my relationship with my parents. I think you resented him for a long time, until Yamatai, and even after that… You told me once that, a part of you still couldn't understand his downward spiral until you went through it yourself, when you were forced to cut ties with me. You never gave me details about what happened but by the haunted look on your face the first months we reconnected, I don't think it was pretty..." She stopped, looking at Lara who was now slouched against the desk and staring at the floor with glimmering eyes.

"Continue."

"So, your dad kept working until his research led him to the Divine Source. A secret organization called Trinity wasn't happy when they found out so they sent an undercover agent, Ana, to seduce him and get intel."

"My father would never cheat on my mother!" Lara protested.

"Your mother is dead." Sam reminded her softly.

"No, she's not." The English woman roared.

"I'm sorry sweetie, I wish it wasn't true but in the original timeline, she is..." Sam said carefully as Lara shook her head in denial. "Once Ana got what she needed, she was ordered to kill your father but she couldn't, so another agent did and they made it look like a suicide. You have to understand that pretty much everyone thought he had lost his mind when he tried to share his discovery so no one looked too much into it. Flash-forward to…"

"No stop…"

"I'm not done."

"I said stop. I'm sorry but this is utter tosh." Lara laughed humorlessly. "This is insane, you are insane."

"I understand that you're upset but I am not insane." Sam said calmly.

"I don't know, after all, I don't know you."

"Lara…"

"No, we're done here." Lara moved toward the door and slammed it open before rushing toward the side exit of the building.

"Lara, wait." Sam ran after her. "You need to listen, these people are dangerous." She tried to explain as Lara kept walking faster. As they were about to reach the street, a van screeched to a halt and two men surrounded Lara.

"Lara!" Sam shouted, running toward her. She saw Lara push the first man against the van but the other punched her hard in the face, making her fall to the ground. Sam looked around for any type of weapon and spotted a table leg next to the dumpster. She took it and ran toward the assailant. "Hey, fuck face." A soon as the man raised his head, she slammed her makeshift weapon against his face and heard his jaw crack. He yelped in pain and fell to the side, his gun sliding against the pavement. She rushed to grab it and raised it just as the second man stood up, gun aimed at her. Instinctively, she shot him in the kneecap. Even though Lara had taught her how to shoot, she didn't like to aim at vital areas unless she was forced to. Here, in the middle of London, she didn't think a bloodbath would go well. Sam heard someone clap behind her and turned around, aiming at the intruder. Her eyes went wide when she saw Ana standing in front of her.

"Impressive, Ms. Nishimura."

Sam glanced at Lara who was unconscious. She must have hit her head against the sidewalk. She stepped in front of her while still keeping an eye on her surroundings, to make sure no one was coming behind her. "I know who you are. I know what you want. I won't let you hurt Lara." She moved closer, weapon still raised. She had always been willing to sacrifice herself if it meant Lara was safe but now more than ever, she was ready to die to save Lara from the heartache of losing her family, to save the peaceful life she had been granted in this timeline.

"And what do you know exactly?"

"That you are part of Trinity, you and your psychotic brother." Sam squared her shoulders to show she meant business. "You also want the Atlas to fulfill your crazy quest of world domination."

"Who are you?" Ana arched an eyebrow. "How do you know all that?"

"In another world, I was tortured by some of your goons; of course, they were calling me Himiko back then. Ring any bells?" Sam smiled defiantly. It was a bold card to play but she wanted them to know they shouldn't mess with her or Lara, they were Crofts, it was bound to end in blood. She didn't know if they had heard about Yamatai, after all without Lara discovering the island, it was still a legend but it was worth a try.

"It's impossible."

"It is," Sam noticed the flash of fear passing in Ana's eyes and smirked. They might not have found it but they definitely knew. "So you're going to call your minions back and leave the Crofts alone."

"Or what?" Ana took a step closer. "Are you going to kill me, Ms. Nishimura?" She leaned her head against the barrel of the gun. "Do you have the guts for it?"

Sam held her position and tried to keep her hand from shaking as she gathered all her confidence. "I'm not like you, I won't kill you in cold blood in the middle of the street. But don't get the wrong idea, it doesn't mean I won't kill you later if you try anything again." She saw movement behind her but wasn't fast enough to avoid the punch. She stumbled backward, the assailant taking advantage of the confusion to grab Ana and lead her to the van. Sam shot at Ana and heard her cry in pain as she held her arm, just before the van door closed and drove off. "I hope it hurts like hell, you b..."

"Did you just shoot someone?" Lara mumbled from her spot on the ground.

"Oh my God, Lara." Sam kneeled down next to her. "Are you alright?" She brushed a few strands of hair away from her face, then rested her hand on Lara's cheek.

The English woman sat down with a groan and touched her head. "My head hurts." She blinked and looked at Sam. "You're bleeding." She pointed at Sam's lips.

Sam touched her lower lip then looked at her bloody finger. "Great." She sighed and scanned around them. "We have to leave. I'm pretty sure the police are on their way."

"I'm not sure I can walk." Lara informed her weakly.

Sam tried to lift Lara up but quickly followed her back on the ground. "God, you're heavy. You always make it look so easy to carry me around, it's hot, but unfair." She ended up half dragging Lara like a sack of potatoes to her car that was thankfully parked in a reserved area for the guests of the opening night.

* * *

 

Lara was fully conscious when they reached the flat. Sam settled her on the couch and threw her purse and the gun on the coffee table before moving to the kitchen to grab a couple of ice packs. She gently put one on the growing bump on Lara's head and applied the other to her lip.

"What happened?" Lara questioned, holding her ice pack.

"I think we just switched roles and I definitely don't have your set of skills." Sam explained. "Although I have to admit, I'm pretty proud of myself."

"What?"

Sam sighed, sitting next to Lara. "Trinity tried to kidnap you."

Lara frowned in confusion. "But why?"

"Since they couldn't bribe your father to get the Atlas, they probably wanted to exchange you for it." Sam guessed. It would make sense, Richard Croft had principles, he wouldn't take Trinity's money, especially since he was rich all on his own. So how could you make a man like that cave? Easy, you would have to go after his family.

"How can you be so jaded about this?"

Sam shrugged. It wasn't that she was blasé about it, she had her fair share of freaking out but it was just that, they were always trying to be prepared for the worst while hoping for the best, at least on her part. "When you've been through what we've been through, you kind of expect shit to happen."

"But we are talking about assault and kidnapping attempt," Lara insisted, trying to make Sam realize the gravity of the situation. "You were using a gun in the middle of London for heaven's sake!"

"Yeah, trust me, could be your regular Friday." Sam joked. She couldn't help it, it was a defense mechanism.

"You have to be kidding me."

"Okay, so maybe not," Sam amended. "Things calmed down after we defeated Trinity but we made quite a few enemies along the years."

Lara shook her head skeptically. "This is…"

"Insane I know, but I hope you believe me now because things are about to get dirty and I need you to be ready." Sam turned serious.

"Ready for what exactly?"

"We just started a war against Trinity, there are gonna be consequences."

"I never asked for this!" Lara cried out.

"I know, sweetie, and I'm sorry, believe me," Sam said gently. "I would take care of it myself if I could but in my timeline, we almost died. I don't know how we can make it out alive now. Our only chance is to leave for India as soon as possible and go back to our time."

"I won't go anywhere." Lara stated firmly. "If they came after me, they could go after my parents. We need to call the police."

Sam shook her head. "We can't do that."

"Why not?"

"They won't believe us, and if they do, there is no guarantee that they don't have an undercover agent among them…" Sam hadn't checked the news yet, but she was pretty sure it wasn't in it or if it was, it would be about a fight between two gangs. Trinity was powerful, it wasn't that far-fetched to think they had support in the administration, even in England.

"We should try."

"Listen, it's late." Sam could feel Lara getting worked up again and didn't want another fight. She stood up from the couch. "Just call your parents, make sure they're okay. Tell them to be careful. Then we should go get some rest, we have a long talk waiting for us tomorrow." She slowly removed the ice pack on Lara's head and inspected the wound. "Do you think you could have a concussion?"

"No, I'm not experiencing any of the symptoms except for a headache." Lara grabbed Sam's face gently to look at her lip. "You have a busted lip; it won't look pretty in the morning."

Sam smiled tiredly, caressing Lara's hand before removing it from her face. "After almost burning at the stake and feeling my soul slowly being sucked out of my body, a busted lip feels like a walk in the park."

"You…" Lara looked at her in horror before shaking her head. "No, I don't want to know right now."

"Yes, it can wait. Call in sick tomorrow," Sam advised. "You don't want to have to explain what happened to you."

Lara stood up. "If it's not too much trouble, could I stay with you tonight?" She asked almost shyly. "In your room, I mean..."

Sam paused and took the time to really look at Lara. She was tired, banged up, confused and Sam could see in her eyes things she hadn't seen since Yamatai, at least to that extent, the panic, the self-doubt, the fear and the innocence slipping away. "Of course." She reached out and squeezed Lara's hands. "I'm just gonna take a shower, join me when you're ready." She smiled kindly, grabbed her purse and the gun on the coffee table and started walking toward her room.

"Sam?"

Sam turned around. "Yeah?"

"Thank you. I've been harsh with you tonight and you still jumped into action to help me. You put yourself in harm's way for me even though I'm not sure to deserve it."

"You will always worth it," Sam assured. "And it's nothing, you've done far more for me."

"I haven't, at least," Lara waved her hand at nothing in particular. "Not here…"

"I have your back, always."

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved your reactions to the last chapter, get a tissue and buckle up for this one!
> 
> Thanks for the feedback!

Sam woke up alone in her bed and sighed. She felt like she hadn't slept at all, worrying about Lara, her parents, Trinity and the million things that could go wrong. She got out of bed and decided to shower later, wanting to make sure Lara was okay first. She walked into the kitchen just as Lara was finishing cooking breakfast. She settled her gun and the stone on the counter. After what happened the day before, she was certain those two objects would be glued to her in the days to come.

Lara smiled tiredly and wordlessly put a plate in front of Sam as she sat down in front of her.

Sam grabbed a piece of bacon and munched it. "You look like hell, sweetie."

"Hello sunshine, you look great this morning." Lara answered with fake cheerfulness.

"Really?" Sam grinned.

"No." Lara deadpanned before sipping her tea.

"Ass." Sam giggled but quickly hissed in pain, touching her busted lip.

Lara smiled before nodding in direction of the gun "Do you have to bring that everywhere you go? I've seen the damage a firearm can do to a human body."

"I'm sorry but this is for our safety. I'm not a big fan of guns either but we should feel lucky we even have one to defend ourselves."

Lara reached out and grabbed the stone. "So tell me about this?"

Sam arched an eyebrow. "Are you ready to hear it?"

"We have to start somewhere and I have to say, I'm intrigued." The English woman admitted. "It's not every day that you see a shiny rock."

"I think they sell some at Poundland." Sam joked.

Lara chuckled. "I'm surprised you even set a foot in that store, your highness."

Sam laughed and threw a piece of her toast at Lara. "It is important for us royalty to mingle with the commoners now and then." She said with a fake British accent. Her smile grew as she heard the melodic laugh of Lara. When they calmed down, she held out her hand, palm up to have the stone.

"Here." Lara put the stone in Sam's hands, her fingers lingering for a moment.

Sam kept her palm open and spoke. "As I told you before, there are other stones, 9 in total, each with a meaning, each offering you a chance to see and understand. The symbol on this one means Fate."

Lara leaned closer and rested her chin on her hands. "What was on the other one?"

"Family."

"Family?" As Lara pronounced the word, the stone started to give off a bright glow. Her eyes went wide in surprise. "What did I do? Why is it shining again?"

Sam felt the stone slowly burning her palm and tried to let it go but her hand tightened in a fist against her will. A piercing noise rang out, then the world started spinning around her, forcing Sam to close her eyes.

"Sam?"

Sam froze for a few seconds before snapping her eyelids open, eyes completely white. "What is, is and what shall be, shall be." She said in a ghostly voice before losing consciousness.

"Sam!" Lara rushed to her side and kneeled down, gently putting Sam's head on her lap and checking her pulse.

Sam heard Lara call her name as she slowly came back to her senses. "Well, that was new…" She mumbled.

"Your nose is bleeding." Lara gently wiped it away with her thumb before gathering Sam in her arms and carrying her to the couch.

"Good to see you can still do that." Sam smiled. She sat up and took a big shaky breath. She felt a pain in her hand and looked at her palm, seeing the symbol Fate burned into her skin.

"Oh my god…" Lara breathed out as she saw the mark. "Wait here." She rushed to the bathroom and came back with a first aid kit. "What happened?" She sat next to Sam and carefully took her hand.

"There were flashes and voices." Sam pressed her fingers to her temple, taking a moment to clear the fog in her head. "I think we overstayed our welcome in this place. But… My stone works."

"What do you mean it works?" The English woman finished wrapping a small strip of clothes around Sam's hand.

"I thought only yours had worked in the Temple. Your dad said this was a journey one soul had to do alone." Sam explained. "So I thought this was your happy place, with the life you wanted, with your family and I was just here as a passenger."

"Is that why you wanted to leave?" Lara asked. "Because you thought you weren't a part of it."

"My doppelganger died, I checked, so it's not like you would have met me and you said it yourself when you were talking to your mom, you're content with the life you have…"

"I was upset and I love my mother, but I don't want her to butt into my love life, you…" Lara paused, taking Sam's hands in hers. "We have a connection. I felt it the first time I stepped into your room at the hospital. I tried to fight it but it's like every time you are near, I feel the need to reach out, to touch you and feel connected. Then I remember we just met so I stop myself… And yesterday you tried to say goodbye and I thought I was about to lose you when we're not even…" She seemed to remember something and shook her head with a small smile. "I can't believe you thought I fancied Sara. That's preposterous. How did you even know she hit on me?"

Sam pulled her hands away and averted her eyes sheepishly. Okay so maybe she had misinterpreted the scene but it wasn't like Lara had made it easy for her. "You were working a lot of extra shifts so I thought I would surprise you at work with dinner. When I arrived, you were with Sara and she was all over you like 'Date something' and 'you're interested.'" Sam said the last part in a clearly bitter and jealous voice. "And I heard you laugh and then she came closer and I just couldn't stay to watch."

Lara lifted Sam's chin with her finger and smiled softly. "Well, it's a shame because you clearly missed the best part where I told her I wasn't interested."

Sam smiled back. "I would do pretty much anything for you. I know it's not really healthy but it also means putting your happiness before mine... I would step back if you were interested…"

"But I'm not." Lara squeezed Sam's knee. "If I'm interested in anyone it's you…"

Sam's smile grew wider as she reached out to cup Lara's cheek. "Is it possible to fall in love with you all over again?"

"I… Hum…" Lara turned bright red. She cleared her throat. "I don't understand everything, but know that I care. I just…" She sighed. "Why can't I have my parents and you here?"

"Sorry sweetie, this is not how it works…" Sam drew her hand back, a pained look on her face. "If what happened last night and my vision are any indication, we are not supposed to stay."

"Then why did we come here in the first place?" Lara asked almost petulantly.

"I don't know what happened but the both of us shouldn't have traveled, it had consequences." Sam felt useless, she wanted to help Lara, to comfort her but she was at a loss too. "Shit, not again…" She felt the mark on her hand burn as another flash happened. She cried out in pain, holding her head in her hands. It lasted for almost a minute but unlike the time before, she didn't lose consciousness. "Okay, this Cassandra act is already getting old…" She opened her eyes slowly, trying to clear her blurry sight.

"Did you have another, hum, vision?"

"Yeah, but it was more a lot of voices shouting at me." Sam blinked, silently gathering her thoughts. "I think they are trying to tell me that, also your past is different, your future is the same. It is your destiny to fight Trinity. All the loss and struggles you had in my timeline, they prepared you to face and defeat Trinity. But here, you're not ready." She puffed some air. "It's clear now, both stones worked, except not in the way I thought they did, although I'm still not sure how it all works exactly."

"This is really confusing…" The English woman nervously played with her ponytail. "I mean, too many things have happened for me not to believe you at this point but it's a lot…" She paused to think. "If I can't take down Trinity, how do we make everything stop?"

"The only way to fix it is to go back to our timeline."

"I told you I won't leave without my parents!" Lara answered forcefully.

"Then you're going to die!" Sam's voice came out a pained croak. She wanted Lara to realize the gravity of the situation.

Lara stood up. "I don't care."

"Great," Sam laughed humorlessly, raising her hands up in frustration. "Of all the things that had to be the same, it had to be your death wish…" She shook her head as she stood up too. "Lara you have to listen, this is not the life you were meant to live. If Trinity wins, it won't be only you and your parents who will die, it will be millions of people. You had been gifted many additional years with your parents but…"

"How is it a gift if it is taken away from me?" Lara said, her voice rising to a high pitch.

Sam tried to stay collected; it was painful for the both of them. She stepped closer, expecting Lara to pull away but she didn't. She grabbed her hands in hers, in an attempt to convey her support and love. "In my timeline, you may have lost your parents, but you found peace, you found love, friends and you're happy… and fuck…" She cleared her throat. "It's not easy, I know but it's what's meant to be and, I guess I'm meant to be by your side…"

The Englishwoman removed her hand and stated slowly. "I won't let my parents die."

"You can defeat a lot of things, but you can't defeat death." Sam said gently. "And I don't think you want to go through the loss of your parents a second time."

"Than what am I supposed to do?" Lara retorted, a voice rising once again. "Just save myself and leave them behind."

"I know it's not much comfort but… This time around, you have a chance to say goodbye."

"Are you bloody serious?" Lara recoiled as if she had been slapped. "Do you even care about what could happen to my parents?"

"Of course I do!" Sam exclaimed, shocked and hurt by Lara's words. She had tried the nice and calm way, but it wasn't working so she had to use some tough love. "But I refuse to let anything happen to you because you're too stubborn to see the truth. We all lose our parents at some point and even though nobody should lose them at a young age like you, it is inevitable."

"I'm not ready to lose them."

"This is not about loss, it's about having the courage to sacrifice what you love for the greater good. It's a lesson you had to learn the hard way…" She raised her bandaged hand in front of Lara's face. "This is our fate."

"Fate can kiss my ass!" Lara moved toward the door and grabbed her keys. "I'm going for a jog."

"It could be dangerous." Sam warned.

"I don't care." Lara said before slamming the door.

Sam sighed. She understood Lara, she knew she was terrified and was lashing out, not because she was angry at her, but because she felt helpless and frustrated. It wasn't an easy decision, but Sam refused to let her wife die. They made it out alive once but for their next encounter with Trinity, they might not be so lucky. She plopped on the couch, exhausted.

As she touched the mark on her palm, Sam started to believe her fate was to make Lara realize her destiny and bring her back to her timeline where Trinity had been defeated.

* * *

 

After her little Cassandra moment, Sam decided to do some research. She tried to google words and theories but she quickly realized that she had to go to the library again. It was dangerous to go out but it was the only way, she needed more answers.

Once she arrived at the library, Sam grabbed all the books she could think of about mythology, supernatural events, myths, Hinduism, and whatnot. After a couple of hours, Sam found her first answer by chance. She was absentmindedly turning the pages of a book about Indian mythology when her eyes fell on the word  _Ardhangini._  She had heard it before but where, when? She read with attention, ' _half of the body, better half, soulmates…_ ' She had the feeling she was on something. Maybe the reason why she had been able to join Lara on her journey was because they were soulmates. Perhaps it was just some kind of cosmic loophole; her stone had worked because she was sharing a connection with Lara, even though two stones shouldn't be used at the same time. It was clear it had consequences, Lara wasn't really her Lara and her double was dead but maybe the universe was trying to set the equilibrium back.

Sam stood up and went to look for more books, Plato's Symposium for the Greeks, Anam Cara in Celtic culture, the red string of fate for East Asian beliefs… As she googled more references, she stumbled upon a quote from Prof. McKay Nobel. ' _One's real soulmate is whoever accompanies and guides and shores you up as the both of you mutually attempt to improve your souls. And in that sense, marriage is very much about soulmates. Perhaps it's not about finding them ready-made, but it is certainly about becoming soulmates for each other_.'

Sam was here to guide Lara, to help her accept her parents' death as part of her identity and lift the burden she carried. It reminded her the concept of Ikigai and she just found her reason to be in this timeline. The purpose of the stones was for a soul to confront their biggest 'what if' and realize the Universe would always find a way to reach its equilibrium and all you could do was face the consequences. In the end, it was all about finding peace and accepting that some things couldn't be changed because they forged you into the person you were meant to be.

Lara had wished to see her family while still making one with Sam and when that didn't go as planned, the universe worked so they could meet at the hospital. But Lara's destiny was still to fight Trinity. And if the stones had worked the same way on Sam, it meant her family was Lara, her destiny was to meet Lara, create a family with her and then, help her fight Trinity. Sam buried her face in her hands and growled. Why did the universe like to make things complicated? It was giving her a headache.

Sam sighed and looked at the time. She had been at the library for a while; she should go home and check on Lara. As she exited the building, she noticed a van that looked suspiciously like the one Trinity had when they attacked them. She frowned, it wasn't good. She slowly approached the vehicle but it peeled out.

* * *

 

Sam stepped inside the flat. "Lara?"

"Living room." Lara answered quietly.

As she walked into the living room, Sam found Lara sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and watching videos from her camera. "Hey." She waved a bit awkwardly.

"Hey…" The Englishwoman paused the video. "I'm glad you're back…"

Sam chuckled. "Where would I go?"

Lara shrugged. "Out for a drink with the friend you made at UCL..."

"No, well I was at UCL but for another reason." Sam stood there fidgeting, not knowing if she should sit down or give Lara space. "To be honest I didn't think you would be home."

Lara sighed, opening her blanket and motioning for Sam to sit next to her. Sam didn't hesitate and snuggled against Lara who tucked the blanket around them. "Is it always like this?"

Sam frowned, turning her head to look at Lara. "Always like what?"

"Us thinking we don't deserve each other."

"It got better with the years." Sam laughed lightly. "But I think a part of us is still learning how to be happy."

The Englishwoman stayed silent for a moment, biting her lower lip. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too." Sam kissed her cheek. "Why are you watching this?" She nodded at the TV. She hadn't finished watching all the videos of the new SD card but if it helped Lara in any way, just like it helped her cope, then she didn't mind watching them with her.

"I'm just trying to understand, I suppose."

Sam rested her head on Lara's shoulder. "Let's keep watching then."

They stayed there, watching videos and enjoying each other's company, trying to forget about the outside world for a little while.

At some point, a new video started with a long black screen. "Did you record this by mistake?" Lara asked as the video switched to a long view of the ground.

Sam shook her head. "No, I don't remember this."

Then the camera moved and Lara appeared with a smile on her face.

_'"Hi love, it's me, Lara, your wife. Can you tell I'm still not comfortable with this?" She chuckled awkwardly. "But I wanted to leave you a little message. We are traveling to the location of the cave tomorrow and if I'm right, it means this expedition will come to an end soon. As always I know that you'll go home to start editing your documentary while I finish packing our findings. I'll miss you and I'm pretty sure you'll miss me to so I want to say that I love you. I always worry that I don't say it enough or show it enough. I feel like, despite my knowledge in books and languages, I still haven't found words that could describe how much I love you and how much I appreciate your presence in my life. You are my light…_

_"Babe! Oh my god, Jonah just made a soup to die for, come and try it!" Sam's muffled voice called from another room._

_"See?" Lara smiled fondly. "How did I get so lucky?"_

_"Laaarrraaa!"_

_"God, you're relentless." Lara laughed before shouting. "Coming!" She looked back at the camera. "You crashed my video but I hope this will make you smile while we're away from each other. I love you, Sam." She turned off the video.'_

Sam blinked away the tears and puffed some air. "God, you're such a sap. I love it…" She couldn't believe she had doubted her wife's love for half a second. She glanced at Lara who was staring at the screen. "Lara?"

"I look… happy." Lara's voice shook slightly. "For as long as I remember, I felt like I was missing someone I had never met. I couldn't understand why, at least until now, so I just buried that feeling and focused on work, because it was easy. I hadn't realized how insipid my life was until I met you." She reached out and cupped Sam's cheek. "It's true, you are a light in the dark."

Sam leaned into the touch. "Lara…"

Lara moved closer, a breath away from her lips. "Sam…" The loud ringing of Lara's phone on the coffee table startled them both, interrupting the moment. "Shit…" She cursed under her breath. She leaned her forehead against Sam's for a second and sighed before kissing the top of her head and pulling away. She reached for her mobile and frowned. "It's my mother." She informed Sam. "Hello? What? What happened? Where are you?"

Sam felt her stomach knot as she saw Lara's face morph from annoyance to panic. "What's going on?" She mouthed.

"Okay, we're on our way." Lara answered before hanging up. "My dad had a car accident. He's in surgery, we have to go."

Sam stood up and looked as Lara gathered her stuff. That was it, Trinity was done waiting and this was the final countdown… She unplugged her camera and put it in her jacket pocket, it was better not to leave anything behind. "Lara."

Lara paced around the living room. "I haven't worked today, should I change? But it's my dad, they won't let me work if it's family…"

"Lara." Sam moved in front of her and grabbed her shoulder gently. "You have to calm down."

"Why now? I was finally letting go and it…" The Englishwoman shook her head, staring at the floor.

"Hey, you listen to me, this is not your fault. It's…"

"It wasn't an accident, was it?" Lara looked up, searching Sam's eyes for an answer.

Sam nodded no. "I'm sorry."

"I can't discuss this right now; I have to go to the hospital." Lara opened the front door. "Are you coming with me?" She asked almost pleadingly.

"Of course, I would never leave you alone for this."

* * *

 

When they reached the hospital, Lara rushed inside to find her mother. As soon as she saw her, silently waiting on a hallway chair, she ran to hug her tightly. Sam stood a step behind to give them space.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Lara questioned.

"I was supposed to meet your father after my meeting downtown but it dragged on so I texted him to go home and I would meet him there. Apparently, a truck came out of nowhere at the intersection." Amelia explained, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Out of nowhere..." Lara gritted through her teeth as she balled her hands into fists. "But wait, you were supposed to be in the car with him?"

"Yes, if the meeting had ended as planned, I would have been with your father in the car."

Sam took a step closer and put a gentle hand on Lara's balled fists. "You should go ask your colleagues for an update on your father's state. I know you want to know. I'll stay with your mother." She watched Lara leave before turning toward Amelia. "I'm sorry for what happened to your husband."

"Thank you, Samantha." Amelia hugged her tightly. "I'm glad you're here."

"Do you need anything?" Sam broke the embrace. "Tea, coffee? Or maybe something to eat? I know I tend to eat when I'm stressed."

"I'm fine, thank you." Amelia patted the seat next to her. "Sit down, dear." When Sam was seated, she asked. "What happened to your lip and Lara's forehead?"

"We… hum." Sam tried to think of an excuse. What was she supposed to say? A secret organization tried to kidnap your daughter and oh, they were responsible for your husband's accident too. She couldn't say they were mugged, it would raise too many questions. "We… Well, I, got into a fight in a pub and Lara tried to help."

Amelia hummed. "You don't seem to be the type to start a brawl without reasons. Did they disrespect you?"

"You could say that…"

"Or Lara?"

"It's…" Sam wanted to facepalm, making up a story about fighting was definitely not the best way to make a good impression on her mother-in-law. "I'm sorry, I know it's unladylike but…"

Lara's mom laughed, light but genuine. "I'm sorry, darling but you should see your face. I won't think less of you for standing up for yourself or the ones you love."

"How did you…" Sam looked at her in amazement. How was Amelia so good at reading people? Lara definitely got her obliviousness from her father, at least when it came to people who weren't enemies.

"We might be aristocrats but I was your age once. Let me tell you a story. I was promised in marriage to an Earl, a repugnant man let me tell you, but then I met Richard and everything changed. My parents hated him and yet Richard dealt with the situation with such grace. That was when I knew I was falling in love because I was ready to stand up for him, to throw away over a century of tradition, for love, for a chance at happiness. Love is always a good reason to fight. So you see, Sam, I used to be quite rebellious in my time too."

Sam chuckled. "I think deep down you still are." She could feel a pang in her heart. It was so nice to share a moment with Lara's parents, to see a bit of her wife in them. She wanted it to last but she could hear the clock ticking and she knew how it would end.

Lara came back with a file in hand. "He should be out of surgery soon."

"How is he?" Amelia inquired.

"We can't say for sure until he wakes up…"

* * *

 

Richard was settled in a room as they all waited for him to wake up. After a couple of hours, Lara's father slowly woke up.

"Where am I?" Richard whispered, his throat dry. "What happened?"

Amelia rushed to his side and sat on the bed. "Easy, my love"

"You're at the hospital, daddy." Lara explained slowly, bringing a cup with a straw to his lips so he could drink before putting it back on the tray. "You had a car accident."

"Good thing your mother wasn't with me." He mumbled.

Sam smiled from her seat at the back of the room. Richard was so much like Lara, or Lara was so much like him. He was the one who got injured and yet, his first thought was for his wife.

"Oh, Richard." Amelia looked at him fondly. "I love you. Don't ever scare me like that again."

"I love you and my little angel too." Richard said, not without pain.

Lara gulped down her emotion. "I love you, dad."

He seemed to notice Sam and the corner of his mouth twitch. "Samantha, always a pleasure to…" He slurred, unable to finish before he started convulsing.

"He's having a seizure!" Lara tried to move forward but a nurse pushed her back gently as a team started working on her father.

Sam looked helplessly at the scene in front of her before glancing at Lara, who seemed so small, fragile and devastate. This is what she wanted to avoid, Lara losing her parents all over again. She sniffled and stepped next to Lara, holding her close as Amelia wrapped her arms around them both.

The three of them stood there, holding their breath and silently hoping for a miracle. Finally, the beeping stopped and a doctor approached them. "Mrs. Croft, Dr. Croft, your father had an apoplectic stroke but I need to run some tests to confirm it. For now, we have to wait…"

"Hum..." Lara tore her eyes away from her father, blinking a few times to focus on her colleague. "Alright, thank you..."

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry in advance, this one is a bit emotional too, but there's always a light at the end of the tunnel!
> 
> Let me know what you think!

 

After the last nurse left, Amelia, Lara, and Sam stayed and watched Richard silently for a while. The air was heavy in the room, the smell of antiseptic that defined hospital so much surrounding them.

Lara was the first to break the silence. “I can’t…” She mumbled before standing up. “I need some tea. Do you want anything?”

“A coffee for me.” Sam could see Lara was ready to explode but was trying to stay strong for her mother. She wish she could just grab a gun and hunt Trinity down but she wasn’t delusional, she didn’t have the skills, and even if Lara was completely herself, she wouldn’t be able to take them all down by herself either.

“Mum?”

“A tea sounds lovely, darling,” Amelia answered absentmindedly as she stroke her husband hand from her spot on the side of Richard’s bed.

“I’ll be back,” Lara announced before leaving the room.

Sam watched the scene in front of her with a heavy heart. She felt so useless, even if she knew, deep down, you couldn’t defeat death. She knew she could still save Lara from this nightmare. She bit her nails, pondering her choice. Lara would never leave her parents behind, that much was clear, but maybe if Amelia knew, she could get to her. Lara could resent her for that, but it was a price she was willing to pay if it meant her wife was safe. She didn’t know how long Lara would be away so her window of opportunity was short if she wanted to try.

Decided, Sam took a deep breath and stood up, moving to the door and closing it. “Amelia.” Sam cleared her throat. “I know this is a bad time and trust me, I wish things were different but I need to talk to you about something important. What I’m about to say may sound crazy but please, for Lara’s sake, I need you to listen.”

Amelia stared at her for a moment, until she finally nodded. “Alright.”

“I don’t know where to start, frankly it would take a week to go over everything but we don’t have the time. I know your husband used to be an archaeologist but his research was pretty unorthodox, focused on myths and legends.”

Amelia raised an eyebrow. “Did Lara tell you this?”

“Yes, and no… This is why I need you to keep an open mind.” Sam reminded her. “I assume at some point, you must have believed in some of Richard’s theories?”

“I’m sorry but I don’t seem to catch where you’re going with this?”

“What brought me here is a part of one of those legends your husband could have looked into.” Sam took a deep breath. “Okay, here goes nothing… I am not from this timeline. My name is Samantha Croft, I married your daughter a few years ago. We met at UCL during our first semester and she quickly became my best friend. I am a documentary producer and Lara is an archaeologist, not a doctor. She’s really good at it, I’m sure you would be proud. Unlike here, Lara didn’t have a nice childhood full of love. In my timeline, Richard kept working as an archaeologist and you traveled with him until one day, your plane…” She bit her tongue, trying to calm herself. It had been hard to reveal the truth to Lara, but telling someone they were supposed to be dead, it was horrible. “Your plane crashed and you died.”

“Okay, I think I’ve heard enough.” Amelia stood up from the bed and crossed her arms defensively.

“No, no, please, you have to listen, for Lara.” Sam begged. “Your husband was devastated and he started obsessing about immortality, abandoning Lara for his research. He…” She couldn’t bring herself to mention Ana so she changed what she was about to say. “He made enemies, among them Mr. Trent and his sister, who are part of a secret organization called Trinity. They killed your husband and Lara became an orphan. She felt like an outsider for most of her teens, just like me until we met. A lot happened after that but to make it short, just know that Lara defeated Trinity. Years later, which is a couple of weeks ago for me, Lara and I traveled to India and found a temple with magic stones. I’m not sure what happened but Lara touched one of them and her wish to see her family again brought us here, in what I call another timeline. The problem is that Lara’s destiny is still to defeat Trinity, something she can’t do because her life never prepared her for it. Mr. Trent is after you and your family, that’s how Lara got hurt, and that’s why your husband is here.” She said in one breath. “I need to bring Lara back with me if I want her to survive but she refuses to leave you behind.”

“I think you are delusional, Ms. Nishimura,” Amelia told her, her voice hard and unyielding.

“I… no, look.” Sam pulled out her chain from under her t-shirt and showed her engagement ring. Lara had given it back to her the night before, shyly whispering that it was where it belonged.

“Where did you…” Lara’s mother looked down at her own ring. “Where did you get this? Did you make a copy?” Amelia glanced at the door. “I think I should call security.”

Sam was getting desperate; she knew it was a long shot, but Amelia was her only hope. She needed to think, she had to tell her something only a few knew, just like she did with Lara. “Love can, and will, endure.” It was a sentence that had stayed with Sam long after reading Amelia’s journal, something that she believed could apply to her relationship with Lara too.

“What did you say?” Amelia looked troubled by the words.

“That’s something you wrote in one of your journals, isn’t it?”

“Nobody knows about it, not even Richard.”

“I do, because Lara let me read some of them. She wanted me to know you.” Sam said gently, aware that it could be seen as a breach of privacy when the person wasn’t actually dead yet. “You had your doubts about your new life in the Manor but then Richard welcomed you with a treasure hunt and a picnic and you knew it was the right choice.”

“It’s impossible…”

“I know it’s a lot but I’m telling you the truth.” Sam insisted. “We can’t change our destiny but, in my timeline, despite everything bad that happened to her, Lara is happy and loved. I promise you that I will love and cherish your daughter until my last breath, but for that, you have to tell her to come with me.”

“I think you should leave,” Amelia stated coldly.

Sam sighed in defeat. She grabbed her jacket and its heavyweight reminded her of the camera. She suddenly got an idea. She pulled it out and set it on the table. “Watch the video with the black screen thumbnail, or even the others if you need too. If I can’t convince you, maybe your daughter can.” She nodded in goodbye before leaving the room.

 

* * *

 

Sam waited another 5 minutes for Lara to come back with the coffee but when she didn’t, she decided to look for her. She asked a few people until one of them informed her he saw Lara go to the on-call room down the hall. She made her way there and knocked. When she didn’t get an answer she entered carefully. “Lara?” As Sam stepped in, she saw the room had been trashed. Papers were scattered all over the floor, the chair and the bedside lamp were knocked out and Lara was standing in the middle of the room, breathing heavily. “Oh, sweetie.” She tried to reach out but Lara stopped her.

“Don’t…” Lara’s voice broke.

“It’s okay.” Sam reached out again, slowly pulling Lara closer to her. “I’m here, let it go…”

Lara stood still in Sam’s arm for a moment, as if willing herself not to be weak. “I…” She tried before finally breaking down in tears, holding Sam for dear life.

“You’re not alone.” Sam’s heart shattered for Lara as she held her tightly, battling her own tears of sadness. It was the kind of pain she was trying to save her wife from by going back to their timeline… They stayed there, hugging each other until Lara’s tears subsided.

The Englishwoman sniffled, kissing Sam’s cheek before breaking the embrace. “Thank you.” She wiped the rest of her tears with the back of her hand.

Sam smiled softly. “Always.” She leaned forward and kissed Lara’s forehead lovingly.

Suddenly, the door of the room opened and Sara walked in. “Lara?” She seemed surprised. “And…”

Lara stayed close to Sam and opened her mouth to answer but Sam beat her to it. “I’m Sam, Lara’s wife.” She slid her arm around Lara’s waist. It wasn’t the time to be petty but the last thing they needed right now was another person butting in.

“I… I didn’t know she…” Sara cleared her throat before shaking Sam’s free hand. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, I just needed a nap…” She scanned the room and saw the mess. “But I can find another room.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me.” Lara looked over the room embarrassed.

“It’s okay. I… I heard about your dad, I’m sorry. I lost my mom in a car accident; I know it’s not easy…” Sara said genuinely. “And hum, I’m also sorry for the other day, I was a jerk.”

Lara nodded. “Thank you.”

“Okay, I’ll leave you two alone. It was nice to meet you Sam, take care of your wife.” Sara smiled before leaving and closing the door behind her.

“Well, that was unexpected!” Sam exclaimed.

“Yeah…” Lara stepped away. “What do we do now? I’m not sure I can go back to his room yet…”

“Wanna get some fresh air?”

Lara nodded. She moved toward the door but seemed to remember the mess she had made. She quickly tidied up the room before grabbing Sam’s hand to lead her out.

 

* * *

 

Sam and Lara walked hand in hand outside the hospital, silently watching the world around them.

Sam smiled lightly as she saw a little girl running freely in the open, enjoying the joy of innocence. The girl then started running toward them but tripped and fell on the ground, crying. Sam glanced around to see if her parents were there but when no one seemed to move, she approached her. “Hey, sweetheart,” She reached for the girl and settled her on her hip. “Are you alright?”

“It hurts.” The little girl said between sobs.

Sam glanced at the girl’s knees that were bleeding slightly. “Oh, it’s okay it’s just a scratch, honey.” She turned to Lara who was watching her with an unfamiliar look on her face and motioned for her to come closer. “This is my friend Lara, she’s a doctor, I’m sure she’ll agree with me, right Lara?” She grinned.

“I, hum.” Lara moved closer and gently inspected the scratches. “She’s right, a cute plaster and you won’t even remember it.” She smiled reassuringly at the girl.

“Luce? Lucy where are you?” A panicked voice called from behind them.

“Mummy!”

Sam and Lara turned around as blonde woman ran toward them. “Lucy! I told you to stay close. What happened?”

Sam handed the little girl to her mom. “She fell while trying to get to you. She was crying so I thought I would check up on her.”

“Thank you.” The mother nodded. “I told her to stay close but you know, kids.” She kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “Thank you again, have a nice day.” She turned around and started walking away as Lucy waved at them.

Sam waved back and chuckled. “Precious thing.”

“You’re the precious one.” Lara complimented, a faint blush on her cheeks.

“Awwww…” Sam giggled. “Aren’t you a charmer Ms. Croft?” She linked her hand with Lara’s and started walking again.

“Apparently, I’m married, my colleague can testify.” Lara said in fake seriousness, although the hint of a smile was showing on her lips.

Sam laughed. “I’m sorry, it just came out. I’m so used to introduce us as…”

“Lara Croft?”

Lara turned around to see who had called her name and was met by a tall man in a black suit. “Yes?”

The man grinned tauntingly as he pulled out a gun with a silencer. “Trinity says hi.”

In a blur of an instant, Sam stepped in front Lara and shielded her with her body as the man pulled the trigger. A soundless cry of pain escaped Sam's mouth as the bullet struck her. She felt her body fall forward but Lara brought down her fall. She was vaguely aware of the man running away and Lara applying pressure on her shoulder as she lay on the ground.

“Sam! Sam!” Lara called urgently. “You got shot, stay with me, love.”

“Flesh wound.” Sam murmured. No, it wasn’t, it hurt like hell. She wondered how Lara went through that pain several times and made it look like it only itched. She heard Lara call for help once again and soon she was rolled back into the hospital on a gurney.

 

* * *

 

 

Sam must have passed out at some point because the next time she opened her eyes, she was in a room, laying on a hospital bed with her arm in a sling. She felt high as a kite, which back in a day could have been fun but now, as she realized what had happened, she didn’t think it was the best thing. She slowly turned her head to the side and saw Lara was sitting right next to her bed, her eyes closed as she held her hand. She smiled lovingly but it fell a little when she noticed the blood on Lara’s clothes.

A knock on the door woke Lara with a start. Sam quickly closed her eyes, not ready to face any stranger yet.

Amelia’s head poked inside the room. “May I come in?”

“Of course.” Lara smiled tiredly.

Amelia hugged her daughter tightly. “How is she?”

“She was lucky,” Lara answered as she broke the embrace. “The bullet didn’t hit any bones or nerves. They removed it, now she has to rest.”

“I guess it’s further proof that she is telling the truth then.” Amelia walked on the other side of the bed and kissed Sam’s forehead softly, whispering sorry before pulling away.

“What?” Lara stared at her mother in confusion.

“I mean who goes around with a gun and randomly starts shooting people? This is not America!”

Lara’s frown deepened. “What do you mean further proof?”

Amelia sighed. “When you left your father’s room to get coffee, Sam and I had a little chat. Well, she did the talking, really. She said a lot, about timelines, about stones and all these things that were supposed to be different. I won’t lie, at first I thought she was delirious.”

“Why would she…”

“Don’t be cross with her,” Amelia cut her off gently. “She’s just trying to look after you.”

“And look where it got her!” Lara raised her hand in Sam’s direction.

“Then maybe it’s a sign that you should leave,” Amelia said carefully, joining her daughter.

“Mum…”

Amelia took Lara’s hands in hers. “She left me her camera. It was confusing to watch you do all those things. It reminded me a bit of your father when I met him. You looked so passionate about your work and you are good at it from what I've gathered. It has never felt that way here, as a doctor, has it?”

Lara shook her head. “No.

“You seemed happy. What really struck me the most was your smile every time Sam was around. You were just lighting up. I knew she would be good for you.” Amelia paused. “Lara, she told me that if you stay here, you will die.”

“I don’t want to lose you.”

“If she’s right and you stay, you will not only lose us, but you will lose her as well.”

“There is no right choice.” Lara stared at the floor sadly. “If I stay, we are all going to die, but if I leave, it means you will die and there is nothing I can do about it.”

Amelia brushed some strands of hair away from her daughter’s face. “I am okay with that if it means you are safe. I always knew I wouldn’t die of old age, anyway.”

Lara stayed silent for a moment. “While we were rushing Sam inside the hospital, I had some kind of flashback. It’s… I don’t know how to call it, a memory from my other life, I guess. I was with Roth.”

“Your father’s friend?” Lara’s mother asked surprised.

“Yes, Sam told me he was like a father to me when dad…” Lara shook her head, as if changing her mind about what she wanted to say. “I was on an expedition with him but things didn’t go well. At some point, he told me ‘Sacrifice is a choice you make. Loss is a choice made for you.’ Sam tried to explain it to me but I couldn’t understand. She knows about sacrifices, she was willing to die for me and she saved me the same way Roth did when some crazy men attacked us.” She smiled dejectedly. “It looks like my life is surrounded by death, why would I went to go back to that?”

“Death is a part of life,” Amelia ignored her daughter’s scoff and continued. “I know it sounds like platitudes but it isn’t. The opposite of life isn’t death, it’s being lifeless. You can’t hide away from life just because you are scared of what you could lose. You have to force yourself to move forward, to learn to be happy because for everything that dies something is born. And darling, if you are lucky enough to find someone, to find something that brings you joy, hold on to it. You deserve happiness, Lara, so please, take Sam and go, live on for us.”

“What if I don’t remember this?” Lara’s voice broke from emotion. “What if I forget the sound of your voice or the way dad…” 

“Honey, we will always be with you.” Amelia lifted their joined hand and put them on Lara’s heart. “We will always be here. I love you dearly and I am so proud of you my sweet angel, but it’s time for you to spread your wings…”

Lara wiped her tears before hugging her mother as if it was the last time. “I love you too.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey. Sorry for the long wait. After the fake news of Sam being back just to hear from Camilla that it wasn't happening, I needed a break. If Sam isn't in the closing chapter of Origin, she won't be back at all. It was a good fight, but we can't win when it comes to money. I guess we'll have to keep Sam in our heart and in our arts.
> 
> I've started a new fic but for now, I don't feel like writing. I read the first reviews of the game and I don't really like the direction they're taking with Lara, all selfish and psycho and I think it's ruining all the work Pratchett and Simone did for years to humanize her. I don't want to support a franchise that bluntly ignores a part of their fans (I'm not even talking about Sam here but Lara's character development) and its own canon. It might not be a popular opinion but it is mine and I won't apologize for it.
> 
> So yeah, the jury's still out, I don't know if I'll stay in the TR fandom because I don't want to taint my love for Lara and Sam. Better stay in my TR2013 bubble and own head-canons, denial, denial, denial... I really hope I'll be able to move past the disappointment to finish my other story though, I think you would like it…

A week later, Lara was packing for their trip to India. Since Sam still had her arm in a sling, Lara had forbidden her to touch anything. Sam had argued that it was mainly clothes and she couldn't really hurt herself with that but Lara didn't budge.

Lara had moved to her office, gathering documents she thought could be useful.

"You know," Sam said, leaning against the doorframe while munching a Jaffa Cakes. "I've never been to this room before."

"I showed it to you when I gave you a tour." Lara reminded her.

"Yeah, but it's not like I had any reason to come here. It's not like at home when you have all these books." Sam shrugged. "Besides, it's your office, I didn't want to overstep or anything."

Lara chuckled. "You've been living here for a couple of weeks, eating my food and borrowing some of my clothes but stepping into my office is too much?"

"Hey," Sam grabbed another Jaffa cake from her pack and threw it at Lara. "You invited me here, honestly that's on you."

Lara picked up the cake and put it in her mouth. "I make terrible decisions."

"You do, that's why you need me in your life." Sam grinned proudly.

"I do." Lara smiled fondly. She started moving some papers to the side of the desk when she heard something fall. She bent down and grabbed the object. "What is your stone doing here?"

"Mine is in the living room." Sam moved closer and inspected the stone. It had the symbol of family engraved on it. "It's yours…" She frowned. "Wait, it was here all along? But how?"

Lara shrugged. "Don't ask me."

"I thought yours was in the temple, waiting for you. But it's good, I guess it's one less thing to worry about once we get there."

"You know I still don't think it's a good idea for you to travel in your state." Lara stroked Sam's good shoulder.

"I know, sweetie." Sam kissed her cheek. "But we don't have a choice. We have to leave England, it's not safe. Once we're away, we can slow down and really prepare our expedition."

"Alright."

"Besides, if I'm in pain I have my magic pills."

"They're not sweets!" The Englishwoman chastised.

"Too bad. Can I have a lollypop then, Doctor Croft?" Sam giggled.

"You're impossible." Lara chuckled. "I'm done here, let's go get make some dinner."

"Yes, I want to enjoy your cooking skills one last time."

They ate dinner and cuddled on the couch with a movie before going to bed together. They hadn't talked about their almost kiss and hadn't tried anything since. Lara was struggling with leaving her parents behind and Sam was trying her best to be helpful despite the pain in her shoulder so they were content with their close proximity.

* * *

 

Sam knew they couldn't just travel to India directly, it would be too easy for Trinity to track them if they wanted to. So to cover their tracks, they had decided to do several layovers in different countries.

Their first stop was Paris but despite being the closest, it was the hardest destination to reach. As soon as Lara and Sam stepped out of the flat to go to the train station, a car started to shadow them. It quickly turned into a car chase as they kept changing route again and again. When it was clear they wouldn't get rid of them, they abandoned their vehicle and took a cab which was thankfully able to bring them to the station. There, they bought train tickets with Lara's credit card for another location to send Trinity on a wild-goose chase and pretended to board the train before getting out a few minutes later by another door to get onto their real train.

Once in Paris, they quickly took another train for Berlin. It wasn't the fastest way to travel, but since Sam didn't have any ID, they couldn't travel by air until they managed to get hold of some. It was actually the reason why they were in Germany. In the original timeline, Lara and Sam had traveled there during Uni and met a few nice people. Sam remembered a guy who told her he had all kind of connections if she knew what he meant and if she ever found herself in trouble, he could help her out. It was the perfect time to use a favor, even though technically they had never met. They had a lot of cash, and she had learned a long time ago that money had no smell. Sam couldn't help but feel like she was in a Jason Bourne movie, except she was the wife that had survived and was now trying to help the heroin recover from an amnesia that wasn't really one.

Getting in touch with Sam's contact wasn't easy but they were able to track him down. He was more than suspicious at first but after enough charm and money, he finally agreed to create them both a fake identity. It forced them to stay in Berlin for almost a week but Sam used their time to share memories with Lara, hoping something would trigger another flashback. Lara seemed to be having more and more of those lately, probably due to her stone.

Armed with their fake identity, Lara and Sam were able to travel to Cairo then Dubai, always acting like tourists, staying a few days in a hotel before leaving again. For this Lara who had never left Europe, it was quite an adventure but she soldiered on.

* * *

 

Finally, after almost three weeks, they reached New Delhi. Sam's shoulder felt better and Lara was starting to get the hang of this undercover thing. They had contacted ahead of their arrival the same team that had led them to the cave in the original timeline. They were trustworthy enough and they didn't really have the luxury to choose. Once they reached their location, Sam asked the team of locals to leave, as a group gathered in a location like this would draw more attention than a couple of women who could pretend to be lost. She couldn't say for sure if Trinity had lost their tracks but she knew she felt watched a couple of times since the departure from England.

As soon as they were alone, Sam and Lara set up a camp for the night. It was starting to get dark and it would be too dangerous to start the descent into the cave now. While Sam was starting a fire, Lara had insisted on setting up the tent. There was definitely something amusing in watching the big badass Lara Croft struggle with the poles when it had always seemed so natural in the original time. After a quick dinner, they settled inside the tent and snuggled against each other. Despite spending most of their time together, nothing had really changed between them. They were affectionate and Lara was a lot more comfortable with initiating hugs or kisses on the cheeks but the weight of the situation prevented them both from looking for more.

* * *

 

The next day, it was finally time to go down into the cave. The whole ordeal turned out to be a difficult task. Sam's wound seemed to find the moment appropriate to make a powerful comeback, not that it had completely left and Lara, unlike the one Sam knew, didn't have several years of practice with her favorite toy, the ice axe.

They were almost at the bottom when Sam felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. She tried to hang on to a rock to rest but her foot slipped. Lara attempted to catch her but lack of leverage only made them fall faster down the remaining distance to the ground. Luckily for them, they landed on sand which largely absorbed their fall. It still hurt but after a break to catch their breath, they were able to keep going.

They finally reached the temple and Sam sighed in relief. It looked exactly the same as the one in her timeline. She removed her backpack and reached for her stone, motioning for Lara to do the same.

"So here we are…" Sam stood in front of the altar, stone in hand.

"What now?" Lara asked warily as she did the same.

"We put the stones on the altar and hope for the best I guess."

Lara worried her lower lip between her teeth. "Will I remember this or even who I used to be before we touched the stones?"

"I don't know, sweetie, I'm sorry…" Sam reached out for Lara's free hand and squeezed it in comfort.

"It's alright." Lara pulled Sam closer. "As long as you're with me, I know I will be fine."

"That's right; you're stuck with me, Lara Croft." Sam smiled cheekily.

Lara chuckled. "Then just in case, there's something I need to do." She leaned forward slowly and pressed her lips to Sam's.

As they enjoyed the moment, everything else became irrelevant. Then, while still kissing, Sam grabbed Lara's hand which had the stone in it with hers and put them on the altar. It didn't take long for a light to engulf them again.

* * *

 

When the world finally stopped spinning, Sam pulled away from Lara and slowly opened her eyes. She glanced around the room but everything looked the same. Were they really back? Her answer came in an unexpected way when their radio crackled to life.

"Lovebirds, are you alright? You've been in there for a while…" Jonah's voice resonated.

Sam walked toward her backpack in the corner and reached for the walkie-talkie. "We're fine Jonah. Hum, something happened, we'll head out soon." As she put the radio back in the bag, she realized only a couple of hours must have passed here. She turned around to share the information with Lara but the words died in her throat as she saw Lara standing there, staring into the void. "Lara? Sweetie, are you… Do you remember?"

Lara nodded, a sole tear falling down her face. "Yes."

Sam stepped in front of her. "Everything? This timeline and the other?"

"Everything…" The Englishwoman croaked.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry." Sam embraced her wife. "I'm sorry you had to lose your pa..."

"No, don't…" Lara shook her head as she broke their embrace. "You were amazing." She sniffled and cupped Sam's face lovingly. "You were right, I've been granted a gift, I was able to make a lot of memories with my parents, and the best part was that you were there too." She laughed, with relief, joy and a touch of melancholy. "You met them and oh god, they loved you… It's… it's everything."

"I love them too." Sam said, feeling as emotional as Lara was.

"I love you, please never doubt my feelings ever again. I doubt often, I question a lot of things, but if there is one thing I know for sure, it's that we were meant to find each other and fall in love."

Sam nodded as tears gathered in her eyes. "Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar…"

"But never doubt I love." Lara finished with a fond smile.

"God I love you so much…" Sam kissed Lara with passion, as if she never wanted to let go, and somehow, it was the case. Her lips lingered as she pulled back with a grin. "So you don't regret coming back?" She asked, almost nervously.

"I wish my parents were still alive but perhaps a lot of good things wouldn't have happened if they were. It doesn't matter, I can't change the past but as my mum said, I can only move forward and live on, for them. After this, I take comfort in the fact that they would have been proud of me." She took a deep breath. "I think… I think I can finally make peace with that part of my past and focus on that future, with you and a job I love and our friends… And maybe one day, a little Croft..."

"I'm proud of you too." Sam kissed her nose. "Oh and a mini you would be so cute!"

"Or a mini you..." Lara breathed out shakily. "Okay, I think that's enough emotions for today." She squeezed Sam's hand, pecking her lips one last time before moving to grab her backpack. "We should go back to the surface before Jonah calls for the rescue team."

Sam chuckled. "He would." She turned toward her own backpack and discreetly slid the pictures she had brought with her from the other timeline in the front pocket. She would give them to Lara once they got out of the ancient city.

"Ready?" Lara asked with a smile.

Sam nodded. "Lead the way, Mrs. Croft." As she watched her wife walk toward the exit of the temple, she couldn't help but smile. They had quite an adventure, and many others were to come but she knew that no matter what the future had in store for them, they would face it together, always…


End file.
